Rusty and I were high-school sweethearts ... he and I had a love that would not have died. For instance, he wrote me such romantic love notes, beginning in high school, and I received the last one a few days after the Army said he was killed. I still have the movie ticket stubs to every movie we ever saw, beginning 1963. Our families knew each other since we were babies. We were meant for each other, and our relationship was ... and still is ... very real to me. He was so very good to everyone - always making them laugh - he was always a clown. Family meant everything to him ... everything. He was so good to my family, and gave my sisters joy and a shoulder to lean on. He also adored his nephews, and was always kidding around with cousins. When we met in Hawaii while he was on R&R, he expressed to me that he wanted us to have a baby right away ... and our God is an awesome God, because I did conceive during those brief 4 days. When I wrote him that we were definitely going to have a baby, he returned the most joyous letter! He said that he knew most men wanted a boy first ... but, that he hoped we would have a girl first, and then a boy. He wanted her to have red hair, blue eyes, and wanted her to be named Stephanie. After that, all his letters were addressed to "Mrs. Paul D. Skelton II and Stephanie" As he was "proclaimed dead" on Memorial Day week-end, we were a top news item, and he was front-page news, and our pictures of being together in Hawaii were put on TV ... and the TV story ended with the statement: Rusty and his wife, Martha, are expecting a child ... and Rusty wanted a girl. When Stephanie was born, we were put on TV again. People have always been amazed at how much Stephanie looks and even acts like Rusty, including that same smile ... and she has his wonderful "clown" humor. She has a beautiful 1-yr old boy, named Elijah Paul, after Rusty and his father. There have been so many times that I needed Rusty to share the joy and tears of our daughter, Stephanie. She has read his letters from Viet Nam, and many family members have told her about her father since she was very young. Oh, he would have spoiled Stephanie so much. I have prayed fervently that I will someday see Rusty hugging Stephanie and our grandson ... Rusty's dream was to join his Uncle Bill in law practice ... in Houston, where we would have many family members. We talked of that dream often. Martha Skelton Stillwell, tinyfarm@startext.net

 

A memorial from his wife, Martha Skelton Stillwell tinyfarm@startext.net  23 Apr 2000

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