FREEPORT — John Warner Skillin Sr., 70, historian, teacher, husband, father and grandfather, a diabetic for over 62 years, died Sunday, Nov. 5.

Born March 11, 1947, the son of Edmund and Laura Skillin, he graduated from Freeport High School and the University of Maine at Gorham, with a master’s in education.

He dedicated his life to managing his diabetes and the study of history. He married Brenda Fogg on March 11, 1967, and taught sixth-grade science for 36 years in Mexico.

John, Brenda and their children, John and Sonya, would commute weekends from Dixfield to Freeport. In addition to teaching, he worked and managed Winslow Park for 25 summers, lobstered and assisted his bother-in-law and fellow teacher, Jim Lumsden, on clambakes.

John traveled extensively with his family re-enacting bicentennial events. He toured all 50 states, Canada, Mexico, Caribbean Islands, Panama, Europe and the Mediterranean. He was active with the Masons, Kora Shrine, and above all, First Parish Congregational Church in Freeport as a trustee.

John relived history daily and hoped others would share his love of history and ancestry.

Surviving are his wife, Brenda, of 50 years; son, John and his wife, Rachael and granddaughter, Amelia; daughter, Sonya Day, granddaughter, Caroline and grandson, Griffin and his wife, Nicole. John also leaves his sister, Beth and her husband, Fred Maitland; sisters-in-law, Gayle Gordon, Gloria DeGrandpre, Robyn Peskovitz and her husband, John Peskovitz; as well as nieces and nephew, Allison Garrett, Anna McDowell, William Hill, Kathy DeGrandpre and Karen DeGrandpre.

You may offer your condolences and stories at www.lindquistfuneralhome.com.

John W. Skillin Sr.

Copy the Story Link