Obituary - Floyd Julian Skoyen

Floyd Julian Skoyen, 84, died of natural causes on Monday, Feb. 2, 2015, at his home north of Chinook.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2015, at 2 p.m. at the Chinook High School Auditorium.

Arrangements have been made with Edwards Funeral Home of Chinook. Condolences may be left for the family at http://www.edwardsfuneralhomemt.com.

Floyd was born May 5, 1930, on the farmstead north of Chinook to Clara (Mahle) and John P. Skoyen. Floyd was proud to say he was "born in a slop bucket." He was the last of four children, being preceded by three older sisters - Myrtle, Pearl and Lilah. Floyd was dating Shirley Mangold and one day while in the Up & UP Café, he met Shirley's sister Ruby. Soon after Floyd and Ruby were a couple and were married on Nov. 22, 1953. They had three sons: John, Greg and Loren. They adopted Jennifer Andrews in 2000.

Floyd was a true Norwegian, enjoying lutefisk and lefse during the holidays. He and Ruby made their own lefse for many years for Christmas. Ruby would boil the potatoes and Floyd would make the lefse and flip it on the griddle.

Every Saturday they would go to town and sell their fresh eggs and cream. They enjoyed getting together with the neighbors to play cards and visit on a regular basis. Brandings were a big part of life on the ranch. It was always a community affair for everyone from the North Country to get together and help each other out. He had a special way of calling in cows, which he passed on to his son John and grandson Trapper. Floyd enjoyed hunting, fishing, camping, snowmobiling and being with family.

He was a jack of all trades, a hard worker, great mechanic, inventor, yodeler and family man. Floyd passed his knowledge of mechanics and farm and ranch life on to his sons and grandsons and instilled in them the virtue of hard work. The last few years of his life he spent every day with his grandsons Julian and Evan.

Floyd was preceded in death by his parents, Clara and John; Ruby, his wife of 41 years; and sisters Myrtle (Jack) Nelson and Pearl (Bill) Lorenz.

Floyd is survived by his sister Lilah Orlando of Harlem, sons John (Barb), Greg (Dora) and Loren Dean (Mari Anne); daughter, Jennifer (Frank); grandchildren, Trapper, Scott (Courtney), Christopher (Melanie), Clarissa, Nathan, Justin, Brooke, Allison, Julian and Evan; and great-grandchildren, Bailey, Natasha, Gage, Rangler and Piper.

Memorials in Floyd's name can be made to the American Lutheran Church or to the Chinook High School Speech and Drama Club.