Lynda Skinner Zehmer

Lynda Skinner Zehmer passed away on January 7, 2025, after a long illness. Lynda was born on March 19, 1951 in Dublin, Georgia, the daughter of Nell Schwalls Skinner and R. H. Skinner of Swainsboro, Georgia. Lynda is survived by her current husband, John H. Zehmer, her three sons, Anthony A. Hirst, IV, Sean H. Zehmer, and Alexander S. Zehmer, and her two granddaughters, Teagan Hirst and Tatiana Hirst. 

Lynda grew up as an only child on a farm in central Georgia, which was the perfect training ground for her independent spirit. During high school, her family moved to Swainsboro, Georgia, where she and her high school colleagues won the State Championship in cheerleading. After high school, she attended the University of Georgia where she graduated cum laude in three years. There she met her first husband, Anthony A. Hirst, III. Tragically, after they moved to Jacksonville, he died prematurely at the age of 31. They had one son, Anthony A. Hirst, IV (Marc), who currently resides in Jacksonville Beach, Florida, with his wife Anna and two daughters, Teagan and Tatiana. In 1988 Lynda married John H. Zehmer, who had the privilege of raising Marc and two more sons, Sean H. Zehmer, currently residing in Washington, D.C., and Alexander S. Zehmer, currently residing in Orlando, Florida.

Lynda had a special zest and love for life, and always had a happy smile for others. She never lost touch with her roots, and her accent would magically change when crossing the Georgia state line. One of her greatest loves was traveling to other parts of the world, and she was fortunate enough to visit over 25 countries on several continents. She was an undaunted optimist and a fitness fanatic. She had a voracious appetite for newspapers and news’ events, and kept voluminous notebooks on matters of interest. Lynda had a special gift for seeing the world through another person’s eyes, and more than once corrected her husband’s social myopia. She was also extremely realistic and practical, often in contrast to the males in the house. First and foremost, Lynda was a great mother, and her proudest accomplishment was raising her three sons, whose professional success is a testament to her love and devotion.

Services will be held at Christ Episcopal Church, 400 San Juan Drive, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, on Wednesday, January 15, 2025, at 11:00 a.m., with a reception in Westbury Parish Hall following the service. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Community Hospice of Northeast Florida.