Marceil “Sissy” Skifter, 75

Services for Marceil Skifter, of Grand Meadow, will be held on March 23 at 11 a.m., at Bethany Bible Church in LeRoy, MN with Rev. Lance Skifter officiating. The family will be available for visitation on Friday, March 22 from 5-7 p.m. at Hindt Funeral Home in Grand Meadow, MN. Marceil passed away March 10, 2024, with her husband Jim by her side. Marceil was 75 years old.

Marceil Sue Tibbetts was born in North Platte, Nebraska, April 11, 1948, the youngest of five children and the only daughter of Clifford G. and Reva (Lewis) Tibbetts. When she was six weeks old, the family moved to Salem, Oregon, where she was raised until the age of ten. In 1958, with her oldest brother deceased (at age 20) and second oldest (22) choosing to stay in Salem, her parents and the three youngest children moved to Long Beach, California, where her father, an ironworker, had found employment helping to build bridges and high-rise buildings in Los Angeles County.

In 1960 Marceil’s parents founded the Beacon Inn Christians Servicemen’s Center which became a “home away from home” to many sailors and marines. It was here that Marceil earned her moniker “Sissy” as she was adopted by many of the sailors as their little sister. Many people, even those who were never part of the servicemen’s center, knew her by that name.

It was at the Beacon Inn that she met her future husband, Jim Skifter. They were married April 14, 1967. As a married couple they continued serving at the Beacon Inn as mentors and opened their home to many servicemen over the years. Marceil held several positions at Dumont Aviation in Lakewood, CA before working alongside her husband at their automotive repair shop for many years.

Jim and Marceil adopted their two sons, Lance, and James (“JC”). Marceil’s sons brought her much joy as she attended their sporting events, school plays and band performances through the years. As her sons aged and married, Marceil thoroughly enjoyed being “grandma” to her six grandchildren.

Upon leaving Southern California in 1991, the Skifters moved to Jim’s hometown of Grand Meadow, MN. Marceil started the town’s newspaper, Meadow Area News, in 1996 where she served as publisher and editor for five years. In 2001 she sold Meadow Area News to Evans Publishing, but continued as writer and editor. She kept writing for the Mower County Independent up until the end of her life, even sending in some stories from the hospital that chronicled her time there.

Marceil enjoyed volunteering at the Root River Antique Historical Power Association, where she edited the club’s newsletter and oversaw the farmhouse during show weekends. She also taught oil painting through Grand Meadow Community Education. Watching novice artists create an oil painting they would be proud to display was a source of great joy to her.

Marceil was preceded in death by her parents, Clifford and Reva Tibbetts, and her four brothers, Clifford “Milo”, Lauren “Jay”, Mervyn “Butch” and Dwight. She is survived by her husband Jim, sons Lance (Erin) and James (Shantel), and her six grandchildren, Elijah, Samuel, Claire, Kaylee, Kelsey and Caitlin.

Online condolences may be left at Hindtfuneralhomes.com