With Ed’s passing, we lose a true original, the ‘real deal’ as some might say. He was born and raised on Lake Rosseau in Windermere to his parents, the late Bill and Bessie Skinner. Ed led a full and meaningful life, achieving many of his dreams while always doing things ‘his way’. His strength, determination, and resilience during tough times-including the loss of his beloved wife and partner Linda in 2021-were truly inspiring. Ed never backed down. He constantly made plans for what came next until the very end. He will be dearly missed by his sisters Anne Wretham and Shirley Elliott, sisters-in-law Catherine Lodge and Jessie Mason (Jerry), along with his numerous nieces, nephews, and extended family. Ed had an incredible circle of loyal friends who shared countless great stories filled with memories from the lake and boating adventures. They were always there for him. His deep knowledge of Muskoka and the boat building industry was legendary; he was the go-to person for anything related to the region’s history and boats-a detail-oriented guy who told fantastic tales. In the 1960s/70s and during the early days of ACBS Toronto, Ed played a key role in sparking a renewed interest in wooden boats within Muskoka. His interests were prioritized as follows: 1. The late Linda Alice Skinner 2. Travel; after both he and Linda retired, they went on a world cruise and traveled extensively together. 3. Old wooden boats-especially his cherished 1925 Ditchburn Neptune that he affectionately called “Ed’s boat with no name.” This wasn’t just any beautiful arrangement of mahogany planks; it was truly his most valued possession aside from Linda herself-it was bought in 1963. In 1957, Ed left Muskoka for Toronto where he worked at Northern Telecom before moving to Bell Canada later on. He met Linda in the early 1970s at Bell’s downtown Toronto office where they both worked together before marrying in 1974. In 1977, he partnered with R. Terry to purchase Dukes Boat Works in Port Carling which brought him back to Muskoka with his new bride to live out their dream life together there. Known for their focus on authenticity and quality, restorations done by Ed and his skilled team at Duke’s Boatworks gained high acclaim throughout their community until it closed its doors in 2009 allowing both Linda and Ed to embark on new journeys.
See you in the wake on the lake Captain Eddie!
Visitation will be held at Reynolds Funeral Home in Bracebridge on Friday, August 29 from 5-7pm. The Funeral Service followed by a Reception will take place at Christ Church in Windermere on Saturday, August 30 from 11am to 1:30pm with interment afterward at Ullswater Cemetery. A Celebration of Ed’s Life is planned for Friday, October 10 from 1-4pm at the Canadian Raceboat Hall of Fame. Donations made in Ed’s memory can go towards a charity of your choice or to Andy’s House Hospice located in Port Carling.
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