Lottery's $16 million winner just a jeans guy

E-mail this article Print this article

He could have stayed anonymous - the guy from Aberdeen who won $16 million in last week's lottery - but Mike J. Skinner's not afraid to be known.

For one reason, he'd have a hard time hiding the news from his tight-knit community. For another, he knows martial arts and is not afraid of folks accosting him. And for another, he figures he owes the truth to the fine people of this state.

"I look at it this way," said Skinner, 53, who has supported four children and six stepchildren by driving trucks and working in mills for much of his adult life. "Most everybody in this state of Washington put money into this pot. Why shouldn't they know who won?"

Skinner bought the winning ticket Feb. 13 at a convenience store in Aberdeen. The next day, he learned that he was the sole winner.

He and his wife of 16 years, Shirlee Skinner, elected to take 25 yearly payments of $460,800 after taxes instead of a lump sum, and on Friday they drove to Olympia, picked up their first check and deposited it in a credit union that afternoon.

Their only luxury so far has been a new car - a fully loaded, cobalt-blue Jeep Grand Cherokee.

"It felt great to walk in there and tell them I wanted to buy a car and that if they couldn't do it that day I'd go somewhere else," said Skinner.

Skinner said he and his wife have known hardship. They've struggled through two mill closings and countless lean times.

And while the money is nice, it isn't going to change them, Skinner said. They may move to a warmer climate eventually. They may leave boring jobs.

But Skinner said they'll still wear jeans, play darts and hang around with old friends.