Walter Allen Skelly

Walter was born on January 30, 1932 in Greensburg, PA, the son of Wright Levi and Anita Brewer Skelly. He married May Jean Burrow on June 3, 1952 in Corinth, MS. He later married Blanche Lucille Lowman on July 10, 1971 in Springfield, TN.

Spending a majority of his career in the HVAC business, Walter served in many various roles. He then went on to be an operations manager of a fabrication facility up until the time of his retirement.

Walter was the Patriarch of the family, and they will forever be grateful to him for all that he did for them. He loved his wife, Blanche, and his children, grandchildren, and extended family, and he enjoyed spending time with them. Walter especially loved the time he spent with family every Christmas.

Stationed in Fort Campbell, KY, Walter served in the Army from 1951 until 1954, until he was honorably discharged. He graduated from Infantry School, and passed the basic airborne course as a qualified parachutist. During his time in the Army, he achieved the rank of Sergeant, and was decorated with the National Defense Service Medal, Parachute Badge, and the Good Conduct Medal.

After departing the Army, Walter settled in Hendersonville where his daughters, Debra and Carol were born with his first wife, May Jean (Burrow) Skelly. Then in 1971, he remarried his soulmate, Blanche Lowman, and they lived in Nashville where he became a wonderful father to Wayne and Kathy Lowman.

Walter’s family is grateful for the love, the lessons, the sacrifices, the discipline, the joy, the security, and the comfort that he provided to them and for them. They didn’t always have a lot, but they never wanted for anything either. He taught them to be respectful, to have class in everything they do, and to honor others. One of his best traits was that he was always the first person to jump at the chance to help others no matter what their need may have been. He lived a very long life, and he saw, experienced, and overcame many things.

Walter loved to be outdoors, and he was a huge sports fan. Being from Pennsylvania, he was always a Pittsburgh Steelers fan. However while living in Tennessee, he became a Titans fan, and he attended games for many years. Walter was also an avid fan of Alabama Crimson Tide football, Atlanta Braves baseball, NASCAR, and Indy Car racing. Walter attended over 20, Indy-500 races at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Surviving are his daughters, Carol (husband, Billy) Sudekum of Goodlettsville, TN and Kathy Lowman of Nashville, TN; son, Wayne (wife, Karen) Lowman of Fairview, TN; his sister, Kay Hoyle of Greensburg, PA; grandchildren, Jimmy Sudekum, Jesse Sudekum, Jennifer Sudekum, Carla Lester, Harold Shockey, Eric Lowman, Vince Lowman, and Kelli Woods; and numerous great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.

Preceding Walter in death are his parents; wife, Blanche Skelly; daughter, Debra Skelly; brother, Jim Skelly, and sister, Ethel Albright.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, January 30, 2021 at two o’clock in the afternoon in Dignity Hall at Woodlawn-Roesch-Patton Funeral Home. A gathering of family and invited close friends will be from one o’clock until the time of Celebration.

Walter will be placed along-side his wife, Blanche in the Cross Mausoleum in Woodlawn Memorial Park.

In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests donations to be made in Walter’s honor to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.