Sarah Townsend Skinner, 68, former longtime resident of Oak Park, died unexpectedly on July 19, 2019 near Asheville, North Carolina. She became Occupational Therapy Registered at the University of Kansas and received her MEd from Loyola University Chicago. After her long career in occupational therapy, she retired from the University of Illinois Chicago and moved to Asheville in 2015.
Known for her compassion, student mentorship, and scholarly approach to her practice, she touched thousands of lives during her decades of clinical practice. She had many long-term friendships and a drive to make the world a more equitable and gentler place in all her personal and professional endeavors.
Sarah Skinner is survived by her son, Ted Skinner; her brother, Sherman (Lorrie) Skinner; her sister-in-law, Jane Skinner; and 11 nieces and nephews, several grand-nieces and grandnephews, all of whose lives she touched in significant ways.
A celebration of her life will be held on Sept. 15, 2019 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Oak Park Conservatory, 615 Garfield St. in Oak Park.
Donations in Sarah’s memory may be sent to the American Civil Liberties Union at https://action.aclu.org/give/make-gift-aclu-someones-memory or 212-549-2585 or to the Sarah Skinner Memorial Fund, Homeward Bound of Western North Carolina, P.O. Box 1166, Asheville, North Carolina, 28802 (http://homewardboundwnc.org), or to a charity of your choice.
