Mary Lou Skibinski, 79, of Ashton, died Thursday, May 7, 2026, at Brookefield Park in St. Paul, with her family by her side.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday, May 14, 2026, at St. Francis Catholic Church in Ashton. The Rev. Richard Piontkowski will celebrate the Mass. Burial will be in the St. Francis Catholic Cemetery in Ashton.

Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 13, at the church, with a 7 p.m. parish rosary.

Memorials are suggested to the family for later designation.

Peters Funeral Home of St. Paul is assisting Mary’s family.

Mary Lou Skibinski was born August 3, 1946, in Loup City, the daughter of Edmund and Cecilia (Dymek) Ignowski. She grew up in Ashton where she attended St. Francis Parochial School and graduated from Ashton High School in 1964.

She was united in marriage to Daniel Skibinski on December 26, 1964, at St. Francis Catholic Church in Ashton. The couple lived in Lincoln where Mary worked for the telephone company until 1969, when they returned to Sherman County and purchased DBL Ski Ranch. During those years, Mary helped raise pigs on the ranch while also working several part-time jobs, including at Jack and Jill Grocery Store in Loup City. In 1972, the couple welcomed their son, David.

In the early 1990s, Mary began working in Kearney as a telemarketer for ITI. In 1995, she found her true passion as a paraprofessional at Schaupps County School. When the school closed in 1997, she transferred to Loup City Public Schools, where she continued touching the lives of countless children. To so many students, she was lovingly known as “Miss Mary,” a name that continued to follow her long after they left her classroom. Mary retired in 2021, but her love for children led her to continue serving as a substitute paraprofessional. She especially treasured Fridays spent caring for her great-grandson, Flint, during his first year of life.

Mary enjoyed watching the Hallmark and HGTV channels and loved caring for her flowers. Mary purchased and lived in the house that her grandparents built and her parents once lived in. She remodeled it and turned it into her dream home, inside and out. Mary was a caring, compassionate person and would stay with people that needed assistance through the night.

She was a member of St. Francis Catholic Church in Ashton and served on the St. Francis Parish Council (CCW). Mary was a church leader, CCD teacher, lifetime member of the Polish Heritage Center and Ashton Community Club, and served as a board member for many years, including during the quasquicentennial celebration.

Mary shared a special and unbreakable bond with her son, David. Together they created a lifetime of cherished memories filled with love and laughter. She had a huge heart filled with never-ending love for her grandchildren. Mary was always present at their activities and would drive her little red Pontiac at any speed to get to them. If Mary was not spending time with her family, you could usually find her with her partner in crime, her sister Sue. Whether they were at church, wandering Walmart in the wee hours of the night, or watching a Hallmark movie while eating popcorn and sharing a red beer, the two were always making memories together. She was also blessed with many friendships and had a lasting impact on every person she ever met.

Survivors include her son and daughter-in-law, David and Kayann Skibinski of Loup City; grandchildren, Austin and Morgan Skibinski of Loup City, Kaitlyn Skibinski and Ben Sautter of Ord, and Raegan Skibinski of Loup City; great-grandchildren, Flint and Reverie Skibinski of Loup City; sister, Susan Kaminski of Grand Island; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Robert Ignowski; sisters, Arlene Ignowski and Dolores Larchick; brother-in-law, Jim Larchick; and brother-in-law, Tom Kaminski.