He grew up in Hollywood and was a graduate of Tech High School. He joined the Memphis Police Department as a patrolman in 1956 and was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1957. After basic training at Fort Hood, Skip married Patsy Hewlett and spent eighteen months serving overseas in Germany before being discharged in 1958. He returned to the Memphis Police Department and was eventually promoted to the rank of detective in the homicide bureau, later earning the rank of lieutenant. Skip served as Chief Deputy for six years under Bill Morris, during a crucial period for the civil rights movement in Memphis. In 1970, Skip ran for Sheriff and won by a landslide, holding the office from 1970 to 1975. As Sheriff, Skip deputized his good friend, Elvis Presley, a frequent visitor to his office. When the position of County Mayor was created in the Shelby County government restructure, Skip ran for the new position and won. He took office as the first Mayor of Shelby County on January 1, 1976, serving alongside City of Memphis Mayor Wyeth Chandler. As County Mayor, Skip was instrumental in many important local developments. In 1978, after an abbreviated first term, he decided not to run for re-election. Skip then turned his attention to pursuing real estate developments in Memphis. He later moved to Middle Tennessee to work for the State of Tennessee when Governor Don Sundquist asked Skip to serve in his administration as Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Commerce and Insurance. He later served as Executive Director of the Tennessee Corrections Institute before his retirement from the State and settling in Murfreesboro. Skip genuinely cared about his communities of Memphis and Murfreesboro, and leaves behind a legacy of leadership and service.