Russell J. (Skip) Pringle, 95, passed-away on Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2021, at his home in Skaneateles, surrounded by his loving family. Known as Skip to his family, he led an extraordinary life full of adventure that came about by dreaming big and positive thinking. He was a true gentleman whose honesty, friendliness, kindness, humility and courage were witnessed by all who knew him. He was the best example of a father and grandfather any child or grandchild could ask for. His family was most important in his life, and he was generous and loving to all of them.
Born in New Kensington, PA, on Jan. 15, 1926, Skip was raised by Herbert and Viola Pringle until he started his first major adventure in life by entering the Navy during World War II in 1943. He served as a motor machinist’s mate on Landing Craft Tanks (LCT) in the Pacific Theater, where he was promoted to group staff engineer. His war tour of duty in the Pacific included Johnston Atoll and the Marshall Islands, Guam, the Philippines and Okinawa, Japan. He operated LCTs throughout the Pacific war zone, specializing in the challenging and daring act of landing war tanks on the island beaches for troops to use in battle. In one adventurous experience, his unit of LCTs were caught in a typhoon off Okinawa, but Navy Destroyer escorts eventually rounded up the watercraft. He received several battle commendations and was honorably discharged from the Navy in 1946.
After the war, he had his eyes on a beautiful girl named Carolyn Collins. He never thought she would give him the time of day until that one moment that turned her into the love of his life. They were married in 1946. Described as a woman of style, beauty and class, Skip enjoyed a long, loving relationship and many worldly adventures with Carolyn for 73 years until her death on June 7, 2019, in Skaneateles. They welcomed three children into their lives.
Skip started his career as an auto parts salesman that eventually turned into an opportunity to purchase Kellogg Auto Supply in Cortland, N.Y. He soon turned one store into five Napa Auto Parts stores in Central New York. Skip was very involved in the Cortland business community and served on the board of directors of the First National Bank of Cortland and the Dime Federal Savings and Loan Association. He was an active Mason and a member of the Cortland Masonic Lodge, No. 470. He served as president of the Cortland Rotary Club and worked with fellow Rotarians to fund the international effort to eradicate polio worldwide.
Skip had many interests and passions. In his earlier years he was an award-winning pistol target shooter in the Syracuse area. He had a lifelong love for skiing that started in the late 1940s, which led to Skip being involved with the Greek Peak Ski Resort in the Town of Virgil, N.Y. Skip served many years on the board of directors for Greek Peak and eventually became a part-owner of the ski area in the 1980s. His passion for skiing created many happy family memories that are continuing on with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Together, Skip and Carolyn also had a life-long love of sailing on Skaneateles Lake and the Caribbean. For him, it began when he was a young boy drawing pictures of sailboats. His real-life sailing adventures began with racing the renowned Lighting class sailboats on Skaneateles Lake with The South End Singing and Sailing Society. His big dreaming led him to larger vessels and ocean waters for the remainder of the couple’s sailing adventures. He supervised the custom construction of two sailing ketches by the Shannon Boat Company of Bristol, RI, calling Virgin Gorda of the British Virgin Islands their home port. Skip expertly navigated the Caribbean Sea and sailed ocean passages with his sons. Skip’s favorite places were the homes he and Carolyn built on Skaneateles Lake and Virgin Gorda.
Later in life, he became a steward of the land. He was a conservationist at heart and bought farmland in the Skaneateles watershed that he turned into a wildlife habitat.
Russell J. (Skip) Pringle is survived by his three children: David (Francie) Pringle of Skaneateles; Daniel Pringle of Gunbarrel CO; and Kathy Pringle of Skaneateles. He is also survived by five grandchildren: Collins (Emily) Pringle of Teton Valley, Idaho; Tassie Pringle (Dror) of Portland, Oregon; Russell Burkhardt of Newman Lake, Washington; Abby Burkhardt and LB Burkhardt of Skaneateles. He also joyfully welcomed four great-grandchildren, Soren and Niko Pringle of Teton Valley, Idaho and Tahmi and Zev Zaluski of Portland, Oregon.
The Pringle family is planning to celebrate Skip’s life in the spring of 2022.
To send condolences, visit robertdgrayfuneralhome.com.
