Herbert Kent "Skip" McLearn, 85 of Altamonte Springs, Florida passed away on July 3, 2018. Skip as he was known since age one was born and raised in the Waukegan/North Chicago, Illinois area. Through grade school he was active in Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, band, and sports. His parents Herbert and Irya McLearn moved to Longwood, Florida in the summer of 1946.  He attended Lyman High School where he was active in sports, lettering in basketball, baseball, and football. He was a member of the chorus and class designations including the Salutatorian of his 1950 graduating class.  He was active through high school with part-time jobs in lawn care, dog lead-out at Sanford Orlando Kennel Club, wood shop at the American Machinery Corporation and salesperson at the National Shirt Shop Men's Store. He attended a semester at the University of Florida and Orlando Junior College. While attending college he joined the United States Naval Reserve.  Within months the Reserve called him into active duty since the Korean War was still ongoing.  He served in Bainbridge, Maryland, Jacksonville, Florida and Pensacola, Florida where he was separated as a 3rd Class Petty Officer two months early as the war terminated. While he was attending Orlando Junior College, he was also employed at National Shirt Shop. Within a year he was promoted to Assistant Manager at the downtown Orlando store while continuing college with night classes. In 1955, he was promoted to Manager at that store. In 1958, his single life was interrupted with a blind date arranged by two friends. His blind date with Viola Rose Albrecht, his future wife, was a God made blessing for both. In September of 1959 they were married at First Methodist Church in downtown Orlando. Prior to marriage, Skip bought their first home in Kingswood Manor with his VA financing. Both of his children, Mark and Kimberley were born in Orlando. In 1966, National Shirt Shop recognized his performance as a manager and promoted him to District Manager of their North Florida/South Alabama-Mississippi region. In 1966, Skip, Viola and his children moved to Jacksonville, Florida where they spent eleven wonderful years. In 1971, they built a new home in the Arlington area of Jacksonville.

Skip's success as a District Manager and the retirement of his Regional Manager brought about his promotion as his replacement in South Florida in 1977. This necessitated he and his families move to Coral Springs, Florida. They rented for a year while they were having a new home built. In 1982, Skip retired with his company after 30 years. In 1982, he decided on a new career; real estate sales. Joining Merrill Lynch Realty in Coral Springs as a residential realtor and then Prudential Florida through 1991. His mother and father both passed away in 1989. In 1990, he decided to move back to Central Florida or specifically Altamonte Springs and live in his parents' home. He continued with Prudential until they were acquired by Arvida Realty. At that time, Skip decided to specialize in commercial sales. Within two years, Skip's wife joined him in real estate as a residential realtor where she remained through the early 2000's. In 2008, when the economy softened he was in a more semi-retirement/part-time role with real estate. He is survived by his wife Viola Rose Albrecht McLearn, his son Mark Kent McLearn and daughter-in-law Clarina McLearn of Casselberry, FL, his daughter Kimberley Rose Stitsky and son-in-law Marshall Stitsky of Boynton Beach, FL and his grandchildren Nicolette Stitsky, Steven Stitsky, Joshua McLearn, and Zachary McLearn. A small service will be held at the South Florida National Cemetery for Veterans in Lake Worth, Florida on Wednesday, July 11, 2018 at 1:15 pm in Lane 3.