Eleanor Louise Garvin Skinner
Dr. John Garvin, the late professor, founding head of the UIC Neurology Department, and one of the most gifted neurological clinicians in America, left his legacy of neurological education, research, and clinical care that lives on through the Neurology Department.
His sister, Eleanor Louise Garvin Skinner, died June 19, 2020, and is survived by her nephew, Bruce Garvin, and sister-in-law, Suzanne Spencer Faurot. Born in Windsor, Illinois, Skinner entered the United States Air Force in 1957 and was promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1974. Skinner was an avid participant in doubles tennis in the Air Force Worldwide Tennis Tournament, winning in 1960, runner-up in 1957, and coming in second in 1959.
After Dr. John Garvin’s death in November of 2017, Skinner furthered the Garvin family connection to the UIC Neurology Department by donating $3.2 million to enhance the John S. Garvin Endowed Chair—making it one of the largest endowed chairs with over $5 million.
Dr. Jeffrey Loeb, who holds the John S. Garvin Chair in Neurology has fond memories of both John ‘Jay’ Garvin and Eleanor. “Eleanor was an amazing and compassionate human being that I was fortunate to get to know. Her demeanor was always strong and forthright, she said what needed to be said, and stuck to guiding principles. I remain humbled and in awe of her perpetual support of the department her brother began.”