Hundreds turn out to honor fallen Marine

By Deirdre Cox Baker

Dozens of bright flowers formed a backdrop to the coffin of Pfc. Nick Skinner, placed alone at the front of a funeral chapel and flanked by the flags of the United States and the U.S. Marine Corps.

Hundreds of mourners — mostly from the North Scott community — packed Runge Funeral Home and Crematory in Davenport for the fallen Marine’s funeral Friday. They arrived early and watched the coffin silently and with respect.

Skinner, 20, died Aug. 26 of a gunshot wound while fighting in Najaf, Iraq. He was the son of Randy Skinner, Bettendorf, and Laura Hamann, Park View, Iowa.

Skinner was saluted in song, word and prayer by the gathering, many wearing buttons with the young man’s photo on them. “We come together to acknowledge our human loss, said the Rev. Ruth Ann Scott, who officiated.

After Skinner was shot, he was carried to a waiting helicopter by his best friend in the Marines, Lance Cpl. Stephen Vincent of Lake Forest, Calif. Vincent’s parents, Ann and Ray, flew to Davenport for the services to represent their son, still in Iraq.

Scott explained that Skinner and his California buddy read Psalm 27 together during the weeks of heavy fighting in and around Najaf. She quoted from that Psalm, “Though war rise up against me, I will be confident … Do not let me give into the will of my adversaries.”

More details on this story can be found in Saturday's editions of the QUAD-CITY TIMES.