Kenneth Floyd Skidmore

He was born September 22, 1952, in Tulsa, OK, to loving parents who, after three daughters, eagerly welcomed their baby boy. he grew up in Tulsa in a modest but happy post-World War II home. After graduating from Sooner High School in Bartlesville, he attended Oklahoma State University, where he completed a degree in sociology. He later earned a Master's degree in Human Relations from the University of Oklahoma, and was a Licensed Professional Counselor. Ken worked for the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, serving in many capacities at a range of levels of responsibility and management over the duration of his 27-year career. Most recently, he was in private practice specializing in a growing area of need, Crisis Management Intervention.

In 1979, Ken started going to the Lotus Center, a meditation group in Oklahoma City. He studied various meditation techniques taught by Audle Allison. Meditation became an integral part of his life as he attended classes there were several times a week and was involved in various activities provided by the Lotus Center. He eventually became adept enough to teach the techniques he had learned and was also involved with providing music for the group. And this is where he met his future wife, Mary.

On June 6, 1986, he married Mary Robohm Skidmore, the love of his life for 36 years, with whom he shared many exciting travel adventures, always eager to see new places and have new cultural experiences. Ken loved great food-even at times it didn't love him back. He relaxed with music-sometimes listening, sometimes playing on of his several guitars, and made time as often as possible to jam with his cousin Wes in the Tulsa studio. Ken relished stimulating conversation, and a cup of dark-roast coffee in the morning, pressed to perfection-though not in that order. He was compassionate and kind, and a great listener. But he also loved to tell funny stories, and would often start laughing himself as he approached the punchline, struggling to get the las words out. He loved to gather with friends and extended family, and was known on occasion to enjoy well-crafted whiskey or an after-dinner cigar with his brothers-in-law and nephews.

Ken is preceded in death by his parents, Arthur Wesley Skidmore and Carrie Bernice Harney Skidmore, his brother-in-law, Wayne Vann and who beloved fur-babies, Max and Bentley, both proud cocker spaniels. He is survived by his loving wife and partner, Mary; three sisters, Karen Vann of Kentucky, Vernelle 'Dubie' Guthrie and her husband Oman of Bixby, Diana Keathley and her husband Nowlin of Tulsa; brother-in-law John Robohm of Bellingham, Washington; sister-in-law Susan Bigelow of Minneapolis, Minnesota; and brother-in-law, Richard Robohm and his wife Lynn of Portland, Oregon. He also leaves behind nephews, David Vann and his wife Jen, Mark Vann and his wife Kassidy, Brian Keathley and his wife Taryn, Bret Keathley, and Ben Tucker and his wife, Elaine; nieces Lori Vann Sloan and her husband John, Shari Vann Lewis and her husband Jef, Kristen Guthrie King and her husband Mike, Carmen Keathley Addison and her husband Alan, Cara Keathley, and Amy Stomberg and her husband, Jeremy; along with a host of loving cousins and great-nieces and nephews.

Ken's life will be celebrated with family and friends in a memorial service at 10:00 A.M. on Saturday, August 20th, 2022, at the Advantage Funeral & Cremation Service-South Chapel, 7720 South Pennsylvania Avenue in Oklahoma City. His wise counsel, trusted friendship, and hearty laughter will be missed, but the love and light with which he lived his life will echo in the hearts of those who knew him for many years to come.