CASCO – Olive “Ponnie” Cook Skinner, 95, passed away Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2019, with her children at her side at Country Village Assisted Living in Casco, Maine, after a long illness.
Born in Auburn on Nov. 4, 1923, she was the daughter of Florence and Casper Cook. After graduating from ELHS, she attended Pierce Secretarial School in Boston, later in life earning her Associate’s Degree from UMLA. She first worked for Ernest & Sherman Shapiro Accountants and later was secretary to the superintendent of Auburn Schools, retiring after more than 20 years.
In 1943 she married the love of her life, Donald Skinner, who predeceased her in 1989. Don and Ponnie built a home on Fern Street in Auburn. In 1973, they moved year-round to their summer home on Thompson Lake in Poland. Upon retirement, they enjoyed traveling and, after Don passed, Olive was a snowbird between Maine, Hawaii and Florida. She was a Director of the Women’s Hospital Association, an active member of the First Universalist Church and for many years served as a director and secretary of the Poland Spring Preservation Society, being named Honorary Director in 2005.
She is survived by her daughter, Kathryn (Joseph) Sever; son, Jonathan Skinner; grandson, Kyle Donald Sever (Matthew Kirchmann); stepgrandchildren, Joseph Sever, Matthew Sever and Brenda Sever Putnam and their families, nephew, K C Putnam and niece, Cynthia Millett. In addition to her husband and parents, Olive was predeceased by her sister, Irene Cook (Elmore) Putnam; and sister-in-law, Lucille(David) Cole.
Our family extends grateful appreciation to the caring, loving and skilled staff at Country Village Assisted Living and to her Androscoggin Hospice caregivers.
A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m., on June 29, at the All Souls Chapel, Poland Spring, with reminiscing to follow in the Maine State Building. A private burial will be held at Mount Auburn Cemetery.
Donations in Olive’s memory may be sent to:
The Poland Spring Preservation Society
PO Box 444
Poland, ME 04274
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