Cecil Wane Skinner of Sylvania died March 25

Cecil Wane Skinner, 72, of Sylvania died Tuesday, March 25, 2008 at his residence, under hospice care.

His funeral was held 11 a.m. Friday, March 28, in the chapel of Thompson-Strickland-Waters Funeral Home with the Revs. Rudine Becton, David Searles and Grady Hargrove officiating. Burial was in the Millen Cemetery with full military honors.

The Screven County native was U.S. Army Vietnam Veteran and a member of Wesley United Methodist Church.

He worked in the U.S. Army Engineer Corps, from which he retired in 1975 as a CW3, after 21 years of service. He served in Europe, Okinawa and several U.S. bases, and he did two tours in Vietnam, the last as a military advisor. He was among the last military personnel to leave Vietnam.

He received numerous military honors including the Bronze Star Medal, Good Conduct Medal two times, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal w/60 Device, three Overseas Bars, Army Commendation Medal, Meritorious Unit Citation, Expert Badge (Rifle M-16A1), Expert (Pistol .45 Cal), Instructor of the Year at Ft. Belvoir, Va. Engineer School in 1965 and Honorary Sea-Bee, after serving as an advisor to them in Tan An City, Vietnam.

He also received a Certificate of Appreciation as an engineer advisor from the Province Chief, LeVan Huan in Long An Province in Vietnam.

He moved back to his home in Screven County, where he farmed until he suffered a stroke in 1993.

Survivors include his wife, Shelvie Jean Becton Skinner of Sylvania; a daughter and son-in-law, Lisa S. and Don Burke of Millen; a son and daughter-in-law, Waine and Connie Skinner of Vidalia; a sister, Adell S. Smith of Hopewell, Va.; four grandchildren, Jacob Burke and Sara Burke of Millen and Kaitlyn Skinner and Jason Skinner of Sylvania; and several nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers were military.

Honorary pallbearers were Jerry Rewcastle, James Bragg, Ken Pierce, Earl Burke, Thomas Hughes, Grady Jenkins, Harry McMillan, Wallis Lovett, Ray Parker, Jack Burke, Troy Waters and Toby Bragg.

Thompson-Strickland-Waters Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.