Shiela Skinner (82) passed away peacefully and beautifully with her family by her side on August 7, 2026, following a short hospitalization for a serious injury due to a fall. She was born in LaPorte, Indiana on November 1, 1943, (appropriately on All Saints’ Day which she liked to remind us). She was the only child of Ed and Gwendolyn Gracie. Shiela grew up in the same historic two-story house on a tree-lined avenue until she attended college. She went through the LaPorte school system and graduated in 1962. She was involved in many clubs at school and especially enjoyed acting in school plays. A highlight of childhood for Shiela was a summer when she and her mother were able to accompany her father on a business trip to Europe. They were able to see many museums and historical sites while Ed was working.
Shiela attended Indiana University and majored in speech therapy. She joined the Kappa Delta Sorority and her long-term friend, Judy Handley, was her sorority big sister. After her first year, Shiela and Judy took a summer trip to Paris to study French at the Sorbonne. Shiela’s 8-week class was cut short with an appendectomy. She did not tell her parents until she got back because (typical of Shiela) she didn’t want to worry them.
Following graduation from IU, Shiela worked for the Indianapolis School System as a speech therapist. She wanted a change after two years, so she went to work as a receptionist for Inland Steel in downtown Chicago. It was a fun time for Shiela as she lived in a boarding house for women and enjoyed the city life. It was at this point that her friend, Judy Handley, led Shiela to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and this faith was to follow Shiela the rest of her life. Interestingly, forty years later, Judy’s nephew, Taylor Handley, would marry Shiela’s daughter, Wendy.
In 1971, Shiela decided to pursue a master’s degree in speech pathology. She chose the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, and it was there that her life would change. During her first week on campus, Shiela attended a graduate student Intervarsity Christian Fellowship gathering where she met a Montana farm boy named Bill Skinner. It was love at first sight, or at least Bill thought so! After a year of study and courting, they were married on August 19, 1972. They returned to Montana on their honeymoon, and Bill neglected to bring Shiela back to the Midwest. She always maintained that she was shanghaied! However, she bravely adapted and fell in love with Montana, and Bill and Shiela were married just short of 54 years.
Early on, they started attending Dry Creek Bible Church, which was Shiela’s choice, and they have attended there since. Shiela also took a job as a speech therapist in the Manhattan schools. One year later, she resigned to help Bill start a seed potato business. In 1978, they welcomed their daughter, Wendy, to the family. For the next 11 years, Shiela was a mother, homemaker, potato truck driver, potato grader, cowgirl, and community member.
In 1989 when Wendy was in middle school, Shiela pursued recertification in speech therapy and spent an intern year in LaPorte to help take care of her father who was dying of cancer. She went on to practice speech therapy for fifteen years in area schools with the Gallatin-Madison Special Education Cooperative. She really loved this work as she traveled to many small schools in southwestern Montana. Governor Racicot appointed Shiela to the state Speech and Hearing Board, and she was able to attend several national meetings.
Throughout her life, she has been active in the community. She served as a co-chair of the local Christian Women’s Club, a member of the KGVW Radio Board, a volunteer at the Cancer Center, and an election judge. She was also active in Bible Study Fellowship, Dry Creek Jolly Neighbors, and Dry Creek Bible Church.
Shiela loved animals and especially birds. Whenever she saw a wounded animal or bird, she would request (!) that Bill fetch it and she would attempt to nurse it back to health. She enjoyed games and especially her Sunday evening game and movie night with sisters-in-law. Shiela was an avid reader and belonged to several book clubs. Shiela and Bill enjoyed traveling in the United States, the Caribbean and Hawaii, including 3 cruises. Most of all, Shiela just loved people. She made friends easily and she had many friends of all ages. She always enjoyed coffee and lunches with new and old friends. If you were struggling and asked for prayer, you could count on her to pray for you during her sacred quiet time every morning. Shiela was a kind, compassionate, and caring person with a wonderful sense of humor.
Shiela is preceded in death by her parents, Ed and Gwendolyn Gracie. She is remembered with love by her husband, Bill; daughter, Wendy (Taylor) Handley; four grandchildren, Noah, Jonas, Chloe, and Micah Handley; sisters-in-law, Cynthia Crosbie and Mary Larson; brother-in-law, Joe (JoJo) Skinner; and many nephews and nieces.
A viewing will be at the Belgrade location of Dokken-Nelson Funeral Home on August 20, 2026 from 5 to 7 P.M. The Memorial Service will be held at 10 A.M. on August 22, 2026, at Dry Creek Bible Church.
Memorials may be made to Dry Creek Bible Church Benevolence Fund, 8465 Dry Creek Road, Belgrade, MT 59714 or to Gideons of Bozeman, Box 1384, Bozeman, MT 59771.
Arrangements are in the care of Dokken-Nelson Funeral Service. www.dokkennelson.com [dokkennelson.com]
