David Skelton has Served the Community for 51 Years

David Skelton, previous owner of Skelton Funeral Home, has been in the funeral directing business for 51 years this October. Skelton began working in 1973 at the age of 16 with the Stabler family at their funeral home. After getting his driver’s license, Skelton began working there cutting grass, moving flowers, and assisting with funerals. Mr. Gerald Stable, Mr. Frank Stabler, and Mr. Harvey Hopkins taught Skelton much about the business during his time there.
Skelton went on to school and received his funeral director’s license in 1979 from Jefferson State Community College in Birmingham. He worked for the Stablers at Stabler-Robbins Funeral Home until March of 2000 when he opened Skelton Funeral Home.
When asked what made him interested in the funeral home business, Skelton replied, “My grandparents died when I was in elementary school, and that is when they took the bodies back home and left them overnight for visitation. I saw all that when I was a young child, and something interested me in the business then seeing the men dressed in their suits driving the long black cars as I called them as a kid.”
Skelton says the most challenging thing about the business is when a family buries a child while the most rewarding thing in his business is when he gives a family peace of mind.
 “When families put their trust in you to handle a funeral for their family, it makes you feel like you’ve done your job,” said Skelton.
Skelton recently sold Skelton Funeral Home, but he is still working and planning on continuing for many years to come.