James Joseph Skelton

James (Jim) Joseph Skelton, born February 3, 1938 in Brooklyn NY.  The youngest child born to James and Bridget (Carr) Skelton, Jim attended Brooklyn Technical High Schools, graduating with the class of 1957. Upon graduation, he married his High School Sweetheart, Karen Murray, with whom he would go on to raise five sons and share 62 years of marriage. Jim and Karen settled in Central Islip NY to raise their new family and start his career as a battery engineer. In 1970 Jim moved the family to Westerly RI to join Yardney Electric in Pawcatuck CT, while there, Jim attended night school at Roger Williams College in Bristol R.I. where he earned a B.S. in Industrial Technology in 1973.

Jim’s engineering career included designing and manufacturing battery systems for the Lunar Roving Vehicle, the Space Shuttle, the Polaris Missiles, and various underwater vehicles. After retiring from Yardney, Jim launched a career as an Engineering Consultant for various companies, spending most of the last five years at Eagle-Picher Technologies of East Greenwich RI where he leaves many friends and respected colleagues.

Jim was at his core a devoted Christian, a communicant and Lector at St. Pius X in Westerly, RI, a family man and devoted father to Jay, (James) Bill, (William), Bob (Robert), Tom (Thomas) and Chris (Christopher) Skelton. With a house full of boys, most evenings you could find Jim coaching baseball or cheering on the sidelines of one of his son’s baseball, soccer, basketball games or tennis matches.

Jim was predeceased by his sister Kathleen Habel of West Babylon NY, his son, Robert Girard Skelton of East Lyme, CT and daughter-in-law Lisa Blamowski-Skelton of Yorktown Heights, NY.

Jim leaves behind his beloved wife Karen of Westerly RI, son James Joseph and wife Ali and their three sons Jaime, Daniel and Matthew of Fairfield CT. Son William Vincent and wife Janice Clements of Ipswich, MA and their daughters Emily of Medford, MA, Abigail of Austin TX and son Wm. Vincent of Ipswich, MA, daughter in-law, Lori and her daughter Rachel of East Lyme CT and son Zachary of San Diego, CA, son, Thomas Michael, his daughter Sarah of Boston, MA, son Jack and daughter Rebecca of Yorktown Heights, NY and son Chris and his wife Meghan, their daughter Harper, son Calvin and daughter Emmie of Fairfield CT. Jim also leaves behind many nieces and nephews throughout the country.
A private service of Christian Burial on was held on Wednesday 01-13-21 at St. Pius X, Westerly R.I, followed by a graveside service at Riverbend Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Jim’s name may be made to Saint Jude’s Children’s Hospital. https://www.stjude.org/donate/donate-to-st-jude.html

For online condolences, please visit www.buckler-Johnston.com