Elder David Skelly

ELDER DAVID SKELLEY

Cedar Rapids

Elder David Skelley, 85, of Cedar Rapids, died Saturday, Nov. 17, 2018, at St. Luke's Hospital in Cedar Rapids. Funeral service: 11 a.m. Monday, Dec. 3, at Cedar Memorial Park Chapel of Memories, with visitation one hour prior to service. Private family burial: Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery.

Dave was born June 30, 1933, the son of William C. and Marian (Teclaw) Skelley, in Chicago, Ill. He graduated from Purdue University. On Oct. 15, 1955, Dave married Joyce Jean McKinstry at St. Cecilia Church in San Antonio, Texas.

Dave served in the U.S. Air Force, where he was a jet fighter pilot and flight instructor. He was stationed at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, Bainbridge Air Force Base in Georgia and Vance Air Force Base in Enid, Okla. After leaving the Air Force, Dave was employed by General Dynamics, Honeywell and Rockwell Collins as an aerospace engineer. During his years as an engineer, he worked on the Apollo space capsules and designed GPS systems for military and commercial use. Dave retired from Rockwell Collins in 1993. He was a member of Sigma Pi Sigma and AIAA.

Survivors include his four children, Charles (Karen) Skelley of Noblesville, Ind., Mary Skelley of Minnetrista, Minn., Michael (Becky) Skelley of Minnetrista, Minn., and Carol (Andrew) Smalley of Ames, Iowa; five grandchildren, Melissa (Steve) Drescher, Diana (Matt) Turner, Kate Skelley, Stephen Smalley and Jessica Skelley; and four great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Joyce Skelley; and parents.

Memorials may be directed to the Disabled Veterans National Foundation at www.dvnf.org in memory of Dave.

Online condolences may be directed to the family at www.cedarmemorial.com under obituaries.