My sister Nicole called today to say that our uncle Bill Skinner passed away today. He was about 80. He died in hospice care at home from a long bout with cancer.

Bill was married to our mother’s sister Margie for their entire adult lives. They lived in the same house in Thousand Oaks, California for most of that time, and had four children, Leslie, Stacey, Valerie, and Billy, who was adopted.

I last talked to Bill when I was driving to New Mexico in November, and he was really glad to hear from me. I last actually laid eyes on him when he traveled to Florida in December 1996 when my dad had coronary bypass surgery.

Bill was noted for many wonderful things, but the most unusual and memorable was his annual Fourth of July Parade through their neighborhood.