Honoring the Memory of Tom Skinner

Tom Skinner, 52, Minister and Trainer

 Published: June 26, 1994

The Rev. Tom Skinner, the son of a minister who became a member of a street gang and then an evangelist known for his motivational teachings, died on June 17 at Norfolk General Hospital in Norfolk, Va. He was 52 and had lived in Tracys Landing, Md., since 1992 and before that in midtown Manhattan.

The cause was complications related to leukemia, said his daughter Lauren Skinner.

Mr. Skinner was the president of Tom Skinner Associates, which operates the Tom Skinner Learning Center in Newark and the Skinner Farm Leadership Institute in Tracys Landing.

Tom Skinner Associates is a ministry that furnishes leadership training, strives to dissolve racial and other boundaries and focuses on both young people and adults, Ms. Skinner said.

Mr. Skinner was chaplain to the Washington Redskins football team for some years in the 1970's and 1980's.

His writings included the book "If Christ Is theAnswer, What Are the Questions?"

He was born and reared in Manhattan, attended public schools and received a bachelor's degree from Wagner College on Staten Island and a master's degree in theology at Manhattan Theological Seminary.

He was the recipient of several honorary degrees.

His marriage to the former Vivian Sutton ended in divorce.

In addition to his daughter Lauren of Newark, Mr. Skinner is survived by his second wife, the former Barbara Williams; another daughter, Kyla Rouse, also of Newark; three brothers, Donald and Jerry Skinner, both of Manhattan, and the Rev. Johnnie Skinner of Knoxville, Tenn.; a sister Deidre Skinner of Manhattan, and a grandchild.