Michael Skorina, age 71, husband of Lucille (DiYanno) Skorina, of Spring City, Pennsylvania and previously a longtime resident of Windsor, Connecticut, passed away peacefully on Thursday, August 30, 2018 at his home surrounded by his family. Born on January 3, 1947 in Detroit, Michigan, he was a son of the late Michael and Violet (Bruce) Skorina.
Michael grew up in Lincoln Park, MI, moved to Newtown, CT when he was 12, and graduated from Syracuse University in 1968 with a degree in Business. He worked for 30 years at the Community Renewal Team of Hartford, CT as an accountant and Vice President of Finance. Michael's lifelong love of golf, tennis, and swimming found expression at his many favorite, familiar courses, courts, and pools in Connecticut and Pennsylvania. He was on the golf course right up until his final weeks of life: he played his last nine holes in mid-July. He never got tired of watching golf on TV, invariably rooting for Tiger Woods; and he never missed a tennis Open Championship either. His enthusiasm for post-Thanksgiving-dinner football games was legendary among our family, and he would never turn down a summer basketball game and a chance to show off his jump shot. He was especially fond of the New England Patriots (he was not happy to see Tom Brady lose to the Eagles this year) and he was a devoted longtime fan of the Boston Red Sox. He truly loved sports — and he remembered everything. There was no sports trivia question he couldn't answer, from boxing to basketball to Olympic figure skating, 1952–present, and he was always ready with the answer to your crossword puzzle clue. He taught all the kids in the family to play Connect Four, and he'd get way too competitive at Scrabble. He had a passion for world history, American politics, and the civil rights movement; and he adored — and sought to emulate — The King, Elvis Presley. He had a wonderful, wry sense of humor, and he always preferred to hang out with the kids rather than the adults when he could get away with it. Most of all, he was always there, and he was so much fun to argue with and to talk to.
Michael is survived by his wife Lucille; his two daughters, Diane Skorina (Marcus Hswe), and Laura Skorina; three sisters, Manya Skorina, Vivian McLean (Russell), and Avril Skorina; many nieces and nephews; and his three grandchildren, Maya, Bruce, and Evie who luckily got to spend lots of time with him when he moved from Connecticut to Pennsylvania eight years ago. He attended countless plays, swim meets, basketball games, talent shows, concerts, piano recitals and birthday parties over the years, and he always looked forward to Sunday dinners with his grandkids.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend the Memorial Ceremony for Michael at the Campbell‑ Ennis‑ Klotzbach Funeral Home Inc., 600 Washington Street, Royersford, PA 19468, on Saturday September 22, 2018 at 3PM. Family and friends may call from 2:00‑ 3:00PM at the funeral home. Contributions may be made in his memory to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, P.O. Box 5014, Hagerstown, MD 21741‑ 5014 or online. Condolences can be offered online at www.RoyersfordFuneralHome.com. Arrangements are being handled by the Cattermole ‑ Klotzbach Funeral Home, Royersford, Pennsylvania