Ellen Elizabeth Clark was born on December 10th, 1898 in Winchester, Tennessee. She was the only daughter of three children born to Ela Reid and James Clark. She grew up in Winchester and had her early schooling there. Ellen graduated from high school in Nashville. She came from a family of teachers, so she attended the Middle Tennessee
Normal College in Murfreesburrow and the Peabody College in Nashville.
Ellen taught school in Tennessee until 1923, when she moved to Ravalli, Montana to be near her cousin. In addition to teaching school in various Montana communities, she tood a refresher course at Western College in Dillon. She finally came to the north Lothair community where she taught at the old Trommer school. It was there she met a bachelor farmer, Bradford Skinner, and they were married in Shelby on November 19, 1927. Ellen eventually quit teaching to raise her family and to help Brad on the farm. Brad died in 1972. Ellen continued to live on the farm. She died at her home on the morning of Wednesday, February 3rd. She was 89 years old.
Survivors include a son and daughter-in-law, Bill and Betty of Lothair; Betty Ann and Lennie Limesand of Sun River; six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Ellen was preceded in death not only by her husband, but also by her parents and two brothers, Reid and Rufus.
Funeral services were held at the United Methodist Church in Chester. Graveside services were held at Mountainview Cemetery in Shelby.