Miriam Lorna Skopin's Obituary
Miriam Lorna Skopin (nÃ?©e Lorna Miriam VanAusdall) died Sunday 10/10/10 in the early morning. She was born November 21, 1921 in Camden, Ohio. Miriam was a gifted musician, photographer, world traveler, and a wonderfully kind person. She was active at the Hillsdale United Methodist Church for over 50 years. "Mim" grew up on a dairy farm in Ohio. She started playing marimba in high school. She graduated from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio in 1943. After graduation she stayed on and taught Morse code to servicemen. She and a friend took the train to San Francisco in 1944 so she could pursue her career on the marimba. She played at the Top of the Mark, with the San Francisco Symphony, and did benefit concerts at San Quentin and for servicemen. She was called the "Maharani of the Marimba." She had day jobs doing office work, and was considered the first "Western Girl" (Western Temporary Services). One place she worked was Motion Picture Services, where she met Boris Skopin, who worked as a cinematographer there for 35 years. He wooed her; she said he was charming and cosmopolitan. They married in 1948. She stopped her on-stage career with the birth of her first daughter, nÃ?©e Valerie, now Subhana, in 1951. Nancy was born in 1952. She and Boris lived in South San Francisco, then moved to San Mateo in 1954. She lived in that house, which they remodeled, for over 56 years. She taught piano and was active in the PTA and church organizations. In the late 50s she became a travel agent, working first for Wilford Travel and then Morello Travel, for a total of more than 45 years. She was still taking dictation occasionally for Spud (George Morello, Jr.) when she was 85. She traveled to China and the Far East, throughout Europe, Mexico, Panama, Canada, and Alaska, and she took photographs. She began taking her own photography seriously after Boris's death in 1979. She won awards at the Peninsula Camera Club and had her photos displayed in local businesses and libraries. She sold "photo notes" and prints. Her faith guided and sustained her. She played piano at the early morning informal worship service at Hillsdale Methodist for over 30 years (when needed, she played organ for the main service). She helped with the family shelter there and with the Mac Nash scholarship fund. She served as president of the church's women's society. She valued life as a gift and was always saying "Thank you." She loved young people, children and babies. She is survived by Subhana and Nancy and Subhana's children Crystal (greatgrandson Mikhail is 6 months), Zeke (greatgrandchildren Nadine, 11, and Daniel, 2Ã?½) and Rafael (a senior at the University of Chicago). She had an older sister who is deceased. Her older brother Robert (Van) and his wife Marilyn live in Chicago and called regularly; and their youngest son Dirk is in San Francisco; he visited the day before her death. Miriam was wonderful at drawing people out and was genuinely interested in them. She will be greatly missed.
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