Skinner, Nettie

Nettie Skinner Filkins

Birth

Her brothers and sisters were:

• Minnie Strevell of Westerlo
• Mrs. Harold (Leonie) Gallup of Jonesville
• Harold C. Skinner of Delmar
• Earl W. Skinner of Ravena
• Fannie Gallup
• Lewis Skinner

Marriage & Children

Nettie Skinner married in 1913 Fred Hazael Filkins, Jr. ( - November 1937) Their children were:

• Doris F. LeBuis of Berne
• Clyde L. Filkins of Westerlo;

Death

Nettie Skinner Filkins died Saturday, May 13, 1989, at her home on Church Road in South Berne after a short illness.

Obituary

SOUTH BERNE - Funeral services were held Wednesday for Nettie Skinner Filkins, who died Saturday, May 13, at her home on Church Road in South Berne after a short illness. Service was in the South Berne Congregational Christian Church with Rev. Ross Edmonds and Rev. Robert Hoffman, officiating.

Born July 9, 1894, on Filkins Hill, Mrs. Filkins was the daughter of the late William and Harriett Filkins Skinner. She spent her lifetime in Berne and after graduation from Cortland Normal School she taught in Filkins Hill and Upper Switzkill rural schools. In 1913 she married Fred Hazael Filkins, Jr., who died in November 1937.

For several years she worked as a seamstress in J. G. Myers Store on Pearl Street in Albany. During the war years, while her son was POW in Germany, she was called back to her teaching career and was a well-loved teacher in the Westerlo School and Berne-Knox-Westerlo Central School until her retirement in 1959.

Nettie Filkins was a life member of the South Berne Church, where she served as organist and as treasurer for over 40 years. She worked in the Sunday school as superintendent and teacher and was active in the ladies aid society. She was also secretary-treasurer of the South Berne Cemetery Association for over 40 years.

Mrs. Filkins was a charter member of the Berne Historical Society and carried the major load of all the cataloguing of items in the Ten Rooms of History from 1970 on, the colonial kitchen was arranged by Mrs. Filkins and dedicated to this life member last year. She was also a member of the Westerlo Historical Society. She was also a member of the National Retired Teachers Association and NYS Retired teachers Association, of the State Board of Hudson-Mohawk Women's Fellowship Association, the Hilltowns Senior Citizens and the Westerlo Forever Young Club.

She was the mother of Doris F. LeBuis of Berne and Clyde L. Filkins of Westerlo; sister of Minnie Strevell of Westerlo, Mrs. Harold (Leonie) Gallup of Jonesville, HaroldC. Skirtnerof Delmar, Earl; W. Skinner of Ravena, and the late Fannie Gallup and Lewis Skinner; and the grandmother, of Mrs. Fred (Janice) Bassler of Berne; Mrs. Merritt (Diane) Chamberlain of Scottsdale, Ariz.; Robert LeBuis of Barneveld,Mrs. Dennis (Marlene) Boornhower of Westerlo; Donald LeBuis of Mokena, Ill,; Mrs. Dennis (Charis) Cummirigs of Saratoga; and Dennis LeBuis of East Berne. She is also survived by 20 great-grandchildren, seven great-great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.

Burial was in the South Berne Cemetery under auspices of the Fredendall Funeral Home. Those who wish may make contributions in Mrs. Filkins' memory to the South Berne Congregational Christian Church building fund.

Altamont Enterprise - May 19, 1989

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