Wendell and Hilde Skelley Riverside Park Remembrance
The Skelley children wish to honor their parents for lives marked by kindness, generosity, perseverance, and hard work.
Following his high school graduation in 1949, Wendell enlisted in the U.S. Army and was stationed in Germany. Hilde and her family had lost their home in East Germany after being forced to flee the advancing Russian Army during World War II. After the war, Hilde attended school and trained as a children's nurse.
While serving as a young sergeant in Frankfurt, Wendell noticed Hilde working as a governess across the street from his quarters. It was love at first sight. They were married on October 25, 1952, in Frankfurt, Germany.
Wendell and Hilde later moved to Pennsylvania, where Wendell enrolled in college. By the time he graduated from Penn State University, four of their eventual ten children had been born. In 1957, he began his career as an accountant with Anchor Hocking, and in 1962 he was hired as Plant Comptroller for Universal Cyclops Steel in Coshocton. All ten of their children graduated from Coshocton High School, and several still call the area home today.
Tragically, Wendell died suddenly in 1971 at the age of 40, leaving Hilde with the enormous responsibility of raising their ten children on her own. She was not yet a U.S. citizen, yet she met every challenge with determination and grace. Hilde went to work in the Coshocton County Auditor’s Office and, after retiring, became a longtime volunteer at the local hospital.
To say she was a remarkable woman would be an understatement. Everyone who knew her admired her strength, resilience, and accomplishments. Hilde proudly became a United States citizen on May 5, 1986, and remained a devoted member of the Coshocton community for the rest of her life.
When Hilde passed away in 2018 at the age of 89, she was survived by 25 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren. As of this dedication, her legacy continues to grow and flourish through 37 great-grandchildren.