Jeanne Merry Skelton

Jeanne taught everyone she knew "how to live" through her inspiration in overcoming her physical challenges, yet she wanted to be considered "ordinary". Jeanne, whose uplifting, joy-filled spirit was anything but ordinary, died unexpectedly on Monday, May 12, at her cabin in Cumberland, WI. Born May 28, 1959, in the backseat of a vehicle enroute to the Zumbrota, MN, hospital, she embodied the energy and spirited attitude of someone not confined to a wheelchair (a result of her osteogenesis imperfecta), and refused to be defined by her disability. A '78 graduate of Robbinsdale Armstrong H.S., and an '82 graduate from the University of AZ, Jeanne lived and worked for IBM both in Connecticut and Atlanta, until she moved to Tennessee and married Ronald (Ron) Skelton in December, 1999. She joined her cousin's web-based company, RubyLane.com, where she wore many "hats" as Director of Human Resources & Operations, and was considered a key employee in the company's success. She traveled extensively, including her solo drive each summer from her TN home to her "heaven-on-earth" peaceful cabin retreat in WI. Her interests in fashion, well-written TV, reading and creating anything to "share", paled next to her passion for staying in touch with her family and myriad friends throughout the world. Technology allowed her to work from home/cabin, and social media provided her an outlet to positively "touch" everyone with her wit, courage, crazy ideas and generous big heart. She loved people, believed God had a purpose for her life, but held little patience for intolerant, judgmental attitudes. She planned to write a book entitled, "Cripple Coming Thru: My View of Life from a Chair", based on her many humorous, sad, disturbing, and joyful encounters with able-bodied people. Jeanne is survived by her husband, Ronald; parents, Mary (McGuckin) and Raymond Merry; siblings, Jennifer Koski (Randy), Bruce Merry (Anne LaFrance), Robert Merry; nieces and nephews, Marissa Ray (Mark), Brianna Dunbar (Andy), Graham Merry (Elizabeth), Griffin Merry; four great-nieces & nephews; many relatives and friends as numerous as the stars in the sky. Memorials are preferred to the Alzheimer's Association. A phrase often attributed to Jeanne, "I can't keep up with her!", included her last full day, spent in Minneapolis participating in a memorial Mother's Day walk with her Mom and brother, Rob. One of her last FaceBook posts ended eith her directive to "Live while you can...there is no promise of tomorrow." God knows no one exemplified that better than you, Jeanne.

Jeanne Merry Skelton

May 28, 1959 - May 12, 2014