Estalene Joyce Skeen

Estalene Joyce Skeen, 94, was born on February 25, 1923 to Harold and Nettie Jorgensen of Canon City, CO. Most of her early years were spent in Fall River, KS. After graduating from the Fall River High School in 1940, Estalene went to the Pittsburgh State College for teacher’s training and began her brief teaching career in Valley Center, KS. Shortly after school let out in the spring of 1942, Estalene went to Wichita, KS and found a job at the Bemis Bag Company. She became friends with a young lady, Virginia Skeen, who told her she had an older brother named, Edward Skeen. One Sunday evening in June, 1942 when Estalene went to church she was introduced to Edward and the rest is history. On August 27, 1944 Sergeant Edward Skeen and Estalene Jorgensen were united in married at the Camp Crowder Chapel near Neosho, MO. After World War II she moved back to Wichita, KS for a while and then moved to Stillwater, OK so her husband could go to college. In January, 1948 they decided to move to the Bartlesville, OK area. In March, Edward began employment with the Phillips Petroleum Company in the research and development department. Besides being a wife and mother, Estalene graduated from the Bartlesville Business College where she took bookkeeping and shorthand. These skills were put to work for the Dewey Church of God (Holiness) as secretary and treasurer for more than 50 years. In her spare time she registered voters for the state of Oklahoma and ended her working career as a key punch operator for the Peters Company in Dewey, OK. Shortly after retiring, Estalene had a dream come true when Edward took her on a trip to Israel, Jordan and Egypt. While Estalene and Edward loved to travel, they wanted to have a ministry in their retirement years. Shortly after they both retired in 1985, they felt the Lord leading them to do volunteer work for the Voice of the Martyr’s organization located in Bartlesville. Estalene was able to work for 22 years and loved every minute of her time with them. Estalene was a member of the Church of God (Holiness) in Dewey, OK for more than 64 years. After Edward’s death in May, 2012, she moved to Overland Park, KS where she lived with her daughter and son-in-law. Estalene was a woman of deep faith and integrity, She loved God, her family and her friends. . She was preceded in death by her parents, Harold and Nettie Jorgensen, infant brother, two sisters, Maxine Legg and Merlyn Siler and one brother, Harold Jorgensen. She is survived by one son and daughter-in-law, Ralph and Cynthia Skeen of Reed Springs, MO, two daughters and sons-in-law, Joyce and Glenn McClure of Overland Park, KS and Renee and Nathan Wright of Overland Park, one brother, Forrest Jorgensen, of Chickasha, OK and 2 sisters-in-law, Kay Jorgensen of Chickasha, OK and Marcene Jorgensen of Rancho Cordova, CA. She also leaves 7 grandchildren, 6 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild.

Estalene Joyce Skeen

February 25, 1923 - October 15, 2017