Herbert "Tony" Anthony Skinner, 68, of McAlester, Oklahoma, passed away tragically on April 21, 2025 — doing what he loved most: riding out in his side-by-side to feed his cattle. The family will greet friends, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Thursday at Bishop Funeral Service and Crematory. Funeral services will be held at 3:00 p.m., Friday, April 25, 2025 at Shady Grove Missionary Baptist Church officiated by Rev. Wayne Edgar. Burial will follow in Shady Grove Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Greg Skinner, Josh Phelps, John Collins, Jr., Nick Skinner, Grant Findley, Steve Durkee, Lane Grant, Corbyn Price and Dalton Wood. Honorary pallbearers will be, Don Parr, David Findley, Jimmy Don Barton, Chuck Barlow, Mark Ichord, Jason Lindley, Scott Harrison, Steve Meyerdirk, Rod Kirkpatrick and Henry Phelps. Tony was born on January 13, 1957, in Cushing, Oklahoma, to Opal (Cates) and Herb Skinner. He graduated from Cushing High School and later earned a bachelor's degree from East Central University. During those college years, he met the love of his life, Donna Parr. They married on May 31, 1980 and this year would have marked 45 years of a marriage filled with love, laughter, music, faith, and the kind of friendship most people only dream of. He loved to tell the story of how they met. And anyone who ever heard him talk about Donna knows - he was absolutely smitten. Always was. Tony was a man of deep, steady faith. He was a devoted Christian and a proud member of Shady Grove Missionary Baptist Church, where he worshipped joyfully and wholeheartedly. But for him, church wasn't just a Sunday thing, it was a way of life. He lived his faith every day, through kindness, through compassion, and through showing up always showing up when someone needed him. His roots at Shady Grove ran deep. His father-in-law, Don Parr, built the church. Not just the walls and the roof - but the heart of the place. Don, or "Grandaddy" as many know him, preached there for years and lives a life of faith and hard work that Tony always admired. He looked up to him as both a Christian and a cattleman - two callings that came to define Tony's own life. Tony led music in churches across the area over the years, and he formed lifelong friendships along the way many of which began at church camp, a place that meant a lot to Tony. He could lead a choir with the kind of joy that made everyone want to sing along, even the ones who swore they couldn't carry a tune. And speaking of music, it lived in him. Whether he was tapping a rhythm on the steering wheel, humming around the house, or strumming his guitar with family, music was never far from him. He had an ear for everything. Tony was also a teacher, but that word barely scratches the surface. He taught history and choir over the years at Indianola, McAlester, and for over 30 years at Hartshorne High School. In his classroom, students didn't just learn they laughed, listened, and they left better. He had a gift for bringing history to life and for connecting with teenagers in a way few people can. He'd tell stories that stuck with you and jokes that usually got a laugh, even if you didn't want to give him one. And whether he was teaching the causes of World War I or the lyrics to an old gospel song, he did it with heart. After retiring in 2024, Tony finally got to live out the dream he'd always talked about - full-time cattleman, side-by-side cowboy, working the land every day with his son, Nick. His herd of Angus cattle got fed rain or shine, because that's just who he was. Tony was the guy who could fix just about anything. A true "Bob the Builder" kind of man. He was also the guy who could walk into a room of strangers and walk out with new friends. And if you were already his friend, you probably felt more like family. That was his gift - making people feel seen, known, and loved. More than anything else, Tony was a family man. A devoted husband. A steady, proud dad. A loving Papa. His happiest moments were the ones spent with his wife, his kids, and his grandkids. That was his whole world. Tony is survived by his loving wife of 44 years, Donna Parr-Skinner; their three children: Nick Skinner and wife Angela, Wendi Collins and husband Junior, and Faith Phelps and husband Josh. He was "Papa" to seven grandkids - Cami Grant and husband Lane, Kati Collins, Abbi Collins, Ava, Graci Skinner, Henry, and Rosie Phelps - and great-grandpa to one beautiful great-grandbaby, Collins Grant. Mother-in-law, Wanda Parr and father-in-law, Don Parr. Sisters-in-law, Kay Findley and husband, David; and Reba Riley. Uncle to Kaydee Durkee and husband, Steve, Grant Findley and wife Aubrey. Great-Uncle to Cayden Durkee, Ella Findley, Carson Findley, Brynlee Durkee and Landon Findley. He is also survived by his mother, Opal Gayhart; his siblings, Greg Skinner and wife Connie, and Cheryl Skinner-Johnson and husband Skip; and his nieces and nephews: Colten Skinner, Cade Skinner, Shane Skinner, Jennifer Leigh, Jessica Morris, and Josh Morris. He leaves behind a wide circle of students, friends, neighbors, and church family - all of us better for having known him, and feeling this loss more deeply than words can say. Tony was preceded in death by his infant great-granddaughter, McCoy Grant; his maternal grandparents, Jesse and Lizzie Cates; his paternal grandparents, Lura and Fannie Skinner; father, Herbert Skinner; his infant brother, Douglas Joe Skinner; and his stepfather, Alan Gayhart, Jr. Though we lost him far too soon, Tony's voice, his lessons, and his love will echo for generations. In every song we sing, in every story we tell, in every quiet moment on the back porch - he'll be there. And we'll carry him with us, always.