Margaret (Randle) Skipper

On July 13, 1943 in Brickey, Arkansas, Spencer and Elizabeth Randle were blessed with a daughter, Margaret. She was the youngest of 18 children, and was lovingly known as the “baby girl” by her brothers and sisters. At an early age, she joined Hempshire Missionary Baptist Church in Aubrey, Arkansas. Margaret attended Robert R. Moton High School in Marianna, Arkansas where she was a member of the softball and basketball teams graduating at the age 16. After high school, she attended the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Education. She met the man who would become her protector, her best friend, and her husband at the University of Arkansas. After graduation, she moved to Hot Springs, Arkansas for her first teaching position. Margaret was united in holy matrimony to LeRoy Skipper on March 5, 1964. From this union two children were born, Mark and Lisa. The family moved to Detroit, Michigan in 1965. While living in Detroit, Michigan, she attended the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church. She began teaching at Hamtramck High School, in Hamtramck, Michigan. She continued her education and earned her Master of Education and Counseling from the University of Michigan. Margaret and her family moved to Columbus, Ohio in 1978. Shortly thereafter she joined the Tabernacle Baptist Church, and was a faithful servant for over 38 years. She participated in the Women’s Day activities, and worked with the Scholarship Committee. She began working for the Columbus Public School system in 1979. She was the Senior Counselor at Northland High School until her retirement in 1999. She was well respected by her colleagues and students. On August 14, 2017, God called Margaret home. She was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, sister and aunt. Margaret was the golden thread that connected us as a family. Her smile and spirit will live within us all. Margaret is preceded in death by her parents, Spencer and Elizabeth Randle; brothers, Willie, Spencer Jr., Prince, Mansfield, Gemajor; sisters, Oleader, Pearl, Rosetta, Cleophus, Theares, Thessolonia, Minnie, Marine, Edna, Zettie, and Theressa. She leaves to celebrate her life, her husband of 53 years, LeRoy Skipper; son, Mark Skipper of Maple Grove, Minnesota, daughter, Lisa Skipper of Columbus, Ohio; grandson, Lamont Pitman of Columbus, Ohio, granddaughter; Kennedy Skipper of Plymouth, Minnesota; brother, Henry Randle (Cherita) of Chicago, Illinois, and a host of nieces, nephews, in-laws, other relatives and friends.