Louis Russell "Skip; Santa" Flinders, BHS 1957 ?

Louis Russell "Skip; Santa" Flinders, BHS 1957 ?
(1939 - 2011)

Skip Flinders, 72, passed away Nov. 21, 2011, at his home in Providence, Utah, after a valiant three-year battle with prostate and bone cancer. He lived more than a year longer than the oncologist thought he would.

He was born Jan. 19, 1939, in Glendale, Calif., to Frederick Roy and Elsie Marie Malan Flinders. He graduated from Burbank High School. Except for two years serving an LDS mission and two years in the Army at Fort Bragg, N.C. (he received an honorable discharge from the Army Reserves in 1967), Skip lived in Burbank, Calif., until 1992, then moved to Providence, Utah.

He married Lynne Michele De Mille Fannin on Sept. 21, 1962, which resulted in the birth of a son, Russell Dean Flinders, on June 2, 1964. Their marriage ended in divorce.

He married Carole Lynn Pulley on March 14, 1970, having two sons: Craig "R" Flinders on April 30, 1971, and Brian "L" Flinders on July 15, 1973. The marriage ended with Carole's death Nov. 24, 1989.

He married Janet Skidmore on Oct. 13, 1990. With the move to Providence, Utah, on Nov. 17, 1992, they began their retired lives doing community service. They helped many charitable organizations: Kiwanis Club of Logan, Eccles Theatre, Cache County Chapter of the American Red Cross, USU Aggie Auction Committee, Cache Employment & Training Center's Christmas Party and their 50th celebration this last summer, Utah Festival Opera Guild, the Key Club's booth at the Cache County Fair (Rubber Duckie Derbies), and joined the Hyde Park Lions Club last January.Skip worked 36 years for his father in the Flinders Insurance Agency in Burbank.

He enjoyed his first deer hunt in 1994 and got his first buck in 1995. Traveling and the out-of-doors were some of the joys in his life, along with ice fishing at Hyrum Dam. He attended all but one of the yearly Kiwanis International Conventions since 1995. This year it was in Geneva, Switzerland. He and Janet were able to travel to Switzerland, France, Italy, Belgium, Austria, Holland and Germany. His favorite meal during that 21 days was at the Geneva Airport at Burger King.
He was preceded in death by his baby sister, Elaine Marie Flinders, and his parents.

He is survived by his three sons, Russell in Florida, Craig in Wisconsin and Brian in Providence, Utah; ex-wife in Cody, Wyo.; current wife; sister, Evelyn LaVerne Harris in Desert Hot Springs, Calif.; his brothers, Robert Frederick in Agua Dulce, Calif., William Oscar in Burbank, Calif., and Charles Steven in Burbank, Calif.; and eight grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at noon Saturday, Dec. 3, at the Providence 10th Ward chapel, 355 Canyon Road. A viewing will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. at Nelson Funeral Home, 162 E. 400 North, Logan. A viewing will also be held prior to the service from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the ward building. Interment will be at the Providence Cemetery in River Heights, Utah.

Condolences and memories may be shared with family at www.nelsonfuneralhome.com.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the Cache Employment and Training Center (CETC) to the Santa Fund. Send donations to: CETC, 275 W. 400 S., Logan, UT 84321.

Published in Logan Herald Journal from November 30 to December 2, 2011