Betty Lou was born on December 11, 1930, in Marion County and grew up in Centenary, SC, the daughter of Julius LeRoy and Maye Irene LeGette Mace. Betty graduated as valedictorian of Centenary High School in 1947. Her class was the last one to go through eleven grades, so she entered Coker College at the age of 16. Betty graduated with a BA degree in English in 1951, but not before participating in several beauty pageants: 1950 Mullins Tobacco Festival, runner-up 1950 Maid of Cotton Pageant, crowned 1947 Miss Azalea Festival Queen and crowned Miss South Carolina American Legion Queen in 1948.
At Coker, she met her lifelong friend, Lib B. Tiller, and at Lib and Harvey Tiller’s wedding, she met her future husband, Wardlaw Edwin Skinner, Jr. Betty and Ed were married on October 22, 1955, and made their home in Queens, New York. They moved to Mt. Pleasant, SC in 1958, where she became a lifelong resident. Betty was a kind, caring, and thoughtful lady. She was a member of Salem Black River Presbyterian Church. She was preceded by her parents, husband, sister, Margaret M. Floyd, and brothers J. L. Mace, Jr. (Jack) and William LeGette Mace (Billy).
She is survived by twin daughters, Jane S. Edler (Clifford Joseph) of Mt. Pleasant, SC, Susan S. Wilson (Edward Heins) of Blythewood, SC, and her son, W. Edwin Skinner, III (Jacqueline Welton) of Mt. Pleasant; grandchildren: LT. W. E. (Wes) Skinner IV of Norfolk, VA, Michaela Marlies Skinner of Mt. Pleasant, Shannon W. Caldwell (John Heath) of Blythewood, SC and Devin McKenzie Wilson of Wilmington, NC; great-grandchildren: John Heath Caldwell III (Tripp) and Molly Claire Caldwell, both of Blythewood, SC. She is also survived by her sister-in-law, Louise Poston Mace of Johnsonville, SC, and several nieces and nephews.