Richard Alva Skinner was born on May 9, 1924, in Yale, Iowa to William Robert Skinner and Elizabeth Ann Spraker. He was their 7th child, and a twin. After graduating from Perry High School, he registered for the draft on 30 June 1942, and on 31 March 1944 he was enlisted in the U.S. Army for the duration of the war plus 6 months. He was trained at Camp Dodge in Herrold, Iowa.

Richard served as a sergeant in an artillery battery in the Philippines fighting against the Japanese near Manila and Luzon. Nearly shot in a changing of the guard incident, contracting malaria, and having his hearing permanently damaged from the loud artillery fire, he went back home to Iowa at the end of the war with an honorable discharge in May 1946. During his time in the military, Richard earned the Good Conduct Medal, APT Ribbon, Philippine Liberation Ribbon with one Bronze Star, and Victory Ribbon.

He married Virginia Anne Biederman on September 7, 1947, in New Hampton, Iowa. They had four children: Sharon, Ronald, Richard and Lori. After moving to California, they lived in, Santa Monica, Torrance, and Rocklin.

Richard was a hard-worker who provided for his family; He worked as the manager of a gasoline station and later as a full partner at a Goodyear Tire Store.

After Richard’s first retirement in 1983, he and Virginia moved to Rocklin, where he worked in an auto parts store, and as a delivery driver, school crossing guard, and a forklift driver. His final retirement took place in 2011 at the age of 87.

Richard’s interests at various times were cars, golfing, and genealogy. He always enjoyed being with family, especially his grandchildren. Richard and Virginia moved to an assisted living facility in Roseville, California, where Virginia died on September 29, 2019. Richard then lived with his daughter, Sharon, in Woodland, California, until his death on June 19, 2021 at the age of 97. He and his wife are buried, in the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery, Dixon, California.