Clive Henry Skevington

Clive Henry Skevington

ATHOL- Clive Henry Skevington, 87, of Petersham Road, left this earth on August 23, 2019 at Sterling Village in Sterling.

Born in Athol on September 15, 1931, he was a son of Alfred G. and Ethelyn E. (Mathews) Skevington and graduated from Athol High School in the Class of 1949. During high school, Clive played clarinet in the band and Mr. Claude Germany’s geometry class was his favorite.

Clive learned to drive a car at the Orange Airport, where he also looked forward to riding in his brother’s airplane.

Clive was married to Linda Hounsell on May 16, 1970 and was looking forward to celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary in 2020.

Clive worked as a drill inspector at Union Twist Drill from 1950 until he was drafted. Following his honorable discharge, he returned to UTD and became a Tool Design Engineer. When the Athol plant closed in 1985, he was transferred to Gaffney, South Carolina’s Straightline and retired December 31, 1997.

From 1952-1954, Clive served in the United States Army during the Korean War as an Ordnance Supply Specialist at Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland.

While living in South Carolina, Clive was active with the former Cherokee Gladiolus Society and the newly formed Gaffney Garden Club. He was a Master Gardner at Clemson, served as treasurer of the Gaffney Senior Center from 1997 to 2007, as well as Food Manager of PEACHCenter Ministries, a non-profit organization that helped the needy.

Clive was a 75-year member Athol Congregational Church where he was active on several committees.

Clive was an avid gardener and enjoyed growing orchids. He had a large vegetable garden and did canning, making jams and jellies from his own fruits, as well as making several varieties of pickles.

A lover of B Western movies, Clive belonged to the Old Cowboy Picture Show group in Gaffney, SC.A life-long railroader collector, Clive was a member of the Boston & Maine Railroad Historical Society since 1985.

Returning to his hometown of Athol in 2007, he was a member of the Athol Golden Age Club and Fenton Finders of New England.  Mostly a homebody, Clive enjoyed feeding and watching the backyard wildlife, spending time tending to the garden, and HO model trains. He also enjoyed reading, watching Perry Mason on TV, flea markets, church fairs, and antique shops where he collected milk bottles and syrup pitchers.

Left with cherished memories besides his wife Linda of Athol, are a daughter, Heidi of Douglas and a brother, Eugene of Asheville, NC.

There are no calling hours.

A funeral service will be held on Friday, August 30, 2019 at 10 a.m. at Witty’s Funeral Home, 158 South Main Street, Orange, with Rev. Rosemary Dawson and Rev. Dr. Candi Ashenden of the Athol Congregational Church officiating.

Interment with military honors will follow in Silver Lake Cemetery, Athol.

In lieu of flowers, donations are suggested to either the Athol Congregational Church, 1225 Chestnut Street, Athol, MA 01331 or to the Town of Athol, memo- North Quabbin Animal Shelter, c/o Athol Police, 280 Exchange Street, Athol, MA 01331.

Witty’s Funeral Home, 158 South Main Street, Orange, is directing the arrangements.

You may offer your sympathy online at www.wittyfuneralhome.com

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