Doreen Carol Skoneki

Doreen, a devoted wife, mother and teacher, died Monday, Feb. 1, 2021, after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. She was 84.

She was born on Christmas Day 1936 in Belford, N.J., where she spent her childhood. Her adventure began when the love of her life, Ron Skoneki, moved to Belford for his senior year of high school.

Ron enlisted in the Air Force after he graduated, but their romance endured, and they were married in 1957. His career brought them a life of new places and faces including time in Maine, Colorado, Nebraska, Texas, New Mexico, New Jersey, Puerto Rico and other destinations.

The family’s final stop was Montgomery in 1976.

Doreen loved to sing, travel and was active in her church, St. Bede the Venerable Catholic Church of Montgomery, but most of all she loved her four children, whom she nurtured and encouraged to find their passions in life. She passed that same love and encouragement onto her grandchildren, from whom she found great delight.

Along the way, she finished her college degree and became a teacher at the school at St. Bede’s.

She is survived by Ron Skoneki, her husband of 63 years; three sons, the Rev. Msgr. William Skoneki, of Mobile; Mark and his wife, Diana, of Orlando, Fla., and Scott and his wife, Kim, of Auburn; a brother, Lou Kaufmann and his wife, Judy, of Bella Vista, Ark.; two sisters, Barbara Gettings and her husband, Mike, of Sea Bright, N.J.; and Sue Gaines of Cocoa, Fla.; and four grandchildren, Joey Clark of Montgomery, Will Clark and wife, Caroline, of Decatur, Ala., Nick Skoneki of Orlando, Fla; and Annie Skoneki of Auburn.

Her daughter, Carole, preceded her in death in 2015.

The funeral will be private. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America or the Priests Burse Club, P.O. Box 230, Mobile, Ala., 36601.