Gail Skove

Gail Skove, age 76, of Gayville, South Dakota, died Friday, October, 20, 2023, at her home while on hospice care after a three and a half year battle with pancreatic cancer. She was a warrior.

A memorial service will be 10:30 AM on Thursday, October 26, 2023, at the Wintz & Ray Funeral Home in Yankton, South Dakota, with Reverend Bob Lacey officiating.  Burial will be in the Gayville Cemetery in Gayville, South Dakota.  The family will receive friends from 5:00 to 7:00 PM on Wednesday, October 25, 2023, at the Wintz & Ray Funeral Home in Yankton with a rosary and time of sharing at 7:00 PM.

Pallbearers will be her grandsons: Riley and Griffen Schnider.

Gail Skove was born February 20, 1947, in Yankton, South Dakota, to Donald and Mary (Donavon) Buckman.  She grew up in Gayville, South Dakota and graduated from Gayville High School in 1965.  She then worked for the Yankton Press & Dakotan as a proofreader.  She married Larry Skove on June 11, 1966, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Yankton.  She took great pride in raising her family and taking care of the home.  She would also help Larry with the bookwork and operation of the farm.  She later went to work for the hunting lodge east of Gayville for a few years, which she greatly enjoyed.

Gail was a special lady.  She enjoyed being outside in her garden, and tending to her flowers and yard.  She was a sassy lady who wanted things done her way and was always right, even if she was wrong.  She did not enjoy cooking but taught Jodi how to make her way around a kitchen by letting her watch as it was always “easier if I do it myself”.  She enjoyed shopping, traveling to Mexico and South Carolina, and caring for her dog, Duncan.  She especially loved her family and loved watching her grandsons play sports and attending their events. You could often find her and Larry taking a drive to check the crops or grabbing a malt from Tastee Treat.

Survivors include her husband, Larry Skove of Gayville, South Dakota; daughter, Jodi (Cory) Schnider of Tea, South Dakota; grandsons: Riley and Griffen Schnider; brother, Mike (Mary) Buckman of Gayville; sister, Joan Beach of Vermillion, South Dakota; and sister-in-law, Becky (John) Olson of Surprise, Arizona.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Donald and Mary Buckman and brother-in-law, Gerald “Butch” Beach.

Gail’s family is very grateful for the ladies at the Avera Medical Clinic infusion center for the wonderful care, Dr. Villanueva for the voodoo that you do and gave us extra time, Dr. Sedlacek for your kind heart, quick wit and great boots that made Gail smile, and the Avera Home Hospice group for making home care possible. Also, thank you to the Yankton Pink Ladies for all their love and support.