Virginia Skinner Rodinger

Virginia Skinner Rodinger, 98, of Macon, MS  passed away on April 3, 2022 at Elderly Care Center in Macon, MS. A graveside service is planned for Saturday, April 9, 2022 at 3:00 p.m. at Oddfellows Cemetery with Jeff Shelnutt officiating. Memorials may be made to the charity of your choice.  Cockrell Funeral Home of Macon Is honored to be entrusted with the service arrangements.

Virginia Frances Skinner was born on September 16, 1923 in Macon, MS to the late William Earl Skinner, Sr. and Alice Raye Hale Skinner. She was a graduate of Macon High School, attended MSCW and a graduate of the Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, KY where she was elected Miss Bowling Green.  In 1943, she married Walter J. Gomel, and in 1944 the couple welcomed their son, Walter E. Gomel. They lived in Memphis, TN, Hollywood, Fla. and Jacksonville, Fl. After her divorce from her first husband, Jennie married George Booker in 1955 and they moved to Miami, Florida. In a time when the television newscasting and weather reporting was a male dominated arena, Jennie came to be Florida’s first television “Weather Girl”, giving the daily weather report for the south Florida area. She went on to host her own show (another first) in 1960, highlighting the women’s view of the news of the day. During this time she became active in making national commercials and advertising campaigns, starring both on the small screen and in print. Along the way she also had bit parts in several big-screen movies and her career kept her in the air, flying from Miami to New York. After her retirement, she suffered an injury that required her to move to Macon, where she was near her brother’s family. In 2005 she moved into the Elderly Care Center in Macon, where she was “the life of the party” and became like one of the family to the staff and residents. Mrs. Rodinger is preceded in death by her parents: William Earl and Alice Raye Hale Skinner, Sr., a brother W.E. Skinner, Jr., and a sister Alice Raye Ware.

Mrs. Rodinger’s survivors include her son: Walter E Gomel (Mille) of Atlanta, GA; five grandchildren: Walter E Gomel, Jr., Christopher Gomel (Sonya), Von Gomel (Rachel), Brad Gomel (Amanda) and Leigh Jones; nine great- grandchildren: Tyler Gomel, Elizabeth Gomel, Christopher Gomel, Jr., Gwyn Gomel, Walt Gomel, Ann Bradford Gomel, Warren Gomel, Colby Jones and Zachary Jones.   Pallbearers will be  Walter E. Gomel, Jr., Christopher Gomel, Von Gomel, Brad Gomel, Lee Skinner and Will Skinner.