Ann Skelton

Ann was born in Atlanta, GA on December 6, 1951 to Jack and Mary Ridinger. Their family moved back to Illinois where she was raised and graduated from Collinsville High School and continued on to Samford University where she received a Counseling degree.

Ann, or “Annie” as she was called, spent many years volunteering at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute where she shared her passion for equality and fighting social injustice. Ann also taught English as a second language within the Spanish-speaking community and was a faithful volunteer for many committees at the Episcopal Church of the Ascension where she and her husband are members. She enjoyed sports and watching St. Louis Cardinals baseball with her husband and parents. Hardly a night went by without watching a game of some sort.

Ann loved to travel with her family. She loved to take cruises, and particularly enjoyed being accompanied by her lifelong friend and soulmate Bev Burris and her husband, John.

Annie touched numerous lives in her time here and she will be greatly missed.

Ann will be lovingly remembered by her husband of twenty-eight years, Leonard (Len) C. Skelton, Jr. She is survived by her mother Mary Ridinger, her children Tricia Skelton, John Skelton, Grant Stokes (Kaleigh), Jackie Maddox (Wes) and Matthew Skelton (Kenny).

One of her fondest names was Grandma, and her grandchildren Elon Maddox, and Laurel, Locklyn and Lawson Stokes will carry her in their hearts.

Ann is preceded in death by her father, Jack Ridinger, and grandson, Deacon Maddox.

The family requests donations in lieu of flowers be made to the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute in her honor. Donations can also be made on the bcri.org website. A memorial service will be held at a later time.