Good all steel skewers with the asymmetrical lever last a long time and are not expensive. Nearly every front wheel in recent decades is 100 mm locknut to locknut, so getting a front skewer is easy. Cheap Shimanos are excellent. Go to your nearest shop. If they don't have a new one, ask to see some used ones. Look for a straight skewer axle, good threads and no or little rust. Oil the cam and lever axle and repeat every so often. If you replace wheels at the rate most of us do, they will be good to go for your grandkids.

But: given the symptoms you described - your wife's hub axle may be broken. If the bearings are loose ball, they may fall out. Pull the skewer out before the bike shop trip and rotate the hub axle end while holding the other end to make sure it is intact. (Breaking axles is far more common with rear axles; I have never seen a front break but quick release issues is one of the warning signs.)

Ben