Ava Justine Skeans

Ava Justine Skeans, age 67 of Watauga, Tennessee passed away peacefully at home. She was born on April 5, 1959 in Piney Flats, Tennessee.

Ava was a devout Christian that loved to go to church and serve the Lord. She served the church in several capacities, Ava loved children and loved teaching children about the Lord. Ava taught the youth class and served as youth director of Watauga First Church of God for several years. She always gave 100 percent to the Lord and her service to the church. Ava always gave 100 percent in all that she did. She loved her church family.

Ava was an outdoors person that loved God's creation. She loved hunting and fishing, and she was an avid hunter and fisherwoman. Ava loved working outdoors in the flower garden as well in the vegetable garden. Ava loved all people and always told people about the Lord Jesus Christ when she had the opportunity to do so.

Ava always found good in people that she met because Ava had a very spiritual heart, a true gift from God. Ava always put God first in her life and family second. Ava was a wonderful daughter, a precious gift from God, to her mother and I, her father. Though Ava was adopted, she was a wonderful daughter to my wife and I for forty-seven years, and she was one hundred percent our beloved daughter as if she had been born to my wife and I.

Ava was loved by two families, her blood brothers and sisters and her adopted mother and father, as well as all the Skeans family. Ava will be deeply missed by both of her families; we all look forward to the day when we shall meet again in Heaven.

She was preceded in death by her biological parents, George V. and Bertha Cox, adoptive mother, Hattie Ruth "Mouse" Skeans, sisters, Evelyn Hollifield, Irma Cox, and Beatrice Cox; brothers, Norman "Bud", George C. "Red", Charles W., Harold "Tad", Perry, Sr., and Robert L. Cox.

Survivors include her adoptive father, John "Ed" Skeans, sisters, Ina Holden and Phyllis Larimer; brothers, Allen D. (Linda) Cox, Delbert "Buster" (Wanda) Cox, Wayne Cox, William "Bill" (Carolyn) Cox, James "Dink" Cox, and Dennis "Punk" (Donna) Cox, as well as a host of nieces, nephews, and great-nieces and nephews. Ava and John had a very special friend and neighbor, Mark Scott, that always gave them a lot of support and help in this walk of life. We always cherished Mark and his dog, Tucker's friendship.

Active pallbearers will be Mark Scott, Clinton Cox, Kenneth Johnson, Lance Larimer, Kaleb Hazelwood, and Benjamin Elliott.

Friends and family are invited to a graveside service at George Mottern Cemetery in Watauga on Friday, June 12, 2026, at 2:30pm. Pastor, Dorothy Neece will be officiating.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are requested to Watauga First Church of God, Building Fund in memory of Ava, C/O John E. Skeans, 125 Campbell Dr. Watauga, TN 37694.

Memories, condolences and detailed obituary may be found at www.morrisbaker.com.

Morris-Baker Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 2001 E Oakland Ave, Johnson City, is serving the Skeans family. (423) 282-1521