Our People: Taking care of business

Freedom New Mexico: Liliana Castillo Lynell Skarda was born in Clovis and worked as a bellhop at the Hotel Clovis while it was operational.

Lynell Skarda is the oldest practicing lawyer in New Mexico. At 95 years old, he works at his family’s bank, the Citizens Bank of Clovis. His father started Farmer State Bank and merged with Citizens in 1924. In his youth, Skarda lived with his mother in California during the school year and with his father in Hotel Clovis during the summer.

• Name: Lynell Skarda

• Birthday: Aug. 28, 1915

• Hometown: Clovis

• Profession: Lawyer

• Family: Jeffrey J. Skarda, Patricia L. Skarda and Katrina Skarda Green

What do you think about Clovis? Clovis is a nice place to live. It has a good economy. Back when I was a child, we didn’t have any irrigation. Dry land farming, that’s what built Clovis. There are good people here, and we have good land. It’s the best land in the state for farming. You have to know about farming to be a banker.

In an alternative life, I would have been an... Ape.

If money were no object, what would you do to make the world a better place? Distribute income more equitably.

After a long, hard day, I love to... Read on my Kindle. I like to look for free books like spy, mystery and who-did-it-and-why books.

Tell us about your greatest individual accomplishment. Just a good lawyer.

One movie I could watch over and over again is... James Bond movies and World War II movies.

The most unique place I’ve ever traveled is to... Iceland. It’s pretty weird. It’s cold all the time, and they have hot springs.

What’s your idea of a perfect day? Work and rest.

What did you think about on Sept. 11? Scared.

Who’s invited to your fantasy dinner party and why? No such party.

What’s your favorite TV show, past and present? I jump from Fox, MSNBC to CNN. I’m always checking the Weather Channel, although I have no control over it.

If I had an open place ticket to anywhere, I would go to... South America. I haven’t been much. I did go on a tour of the Amazon.

What’s so great about your favorite sport? Football and baseball are fun. I enjoy the strategic thinking.

Tell us about a time you cried. When my wife died and my youngest son died.

Tell us about a happy time. All the time.

Tell us a story about your mom or dad. Dad was a banker, and mom had a great soprano voice.

What would you be doing if you weren’t doing your job? Looking for work.

What do you envision your life being like in 10 years? Dead.

When you were a kid, what did you think you’d be doing as an adult? Being a banker or lawyer.

My favorite bad-for-me food is... Chicken.

If I could do anything, I would... What I’m doing now.

One of my favorite childhood toys is... Erector set. I’ve come a long way since then!

What is your greatest hope? Be healthy.

What is your favorite taste? Egg.

What is your favorite smell? Pipe tobacco.

My friends and family call me... Lynell. Growing up they called me Bud.

— Compiled by Freedom New Mexico staff writer Liliana Castillo