Tenth Generation

8884. Sydney Alton Skillman was born on 30 September 1908 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA. He appeared in the census in 1930 in Wayne, Passaic, NJ. He lived in Bloomfield Hills, Oakland, MI about 1965. Sydney died from a heart attack on 25 March 1984 at the age of 75 at Bryn Mawr Hospital in Bryn Mawr, Delaware, PA. Date: March 27, 1984

Sydney A. Skillman, 75, a retired auto-industry executive, collapsed from a heart attack Sunday and died at Bryn Mawr Hospital. He lived in Bryn Mawr.

He spent more than 45 years in the industry, most of them in key posts with Studebaker and Ford.

A graduate of West Philadelphia High School, he studied marketing and accounting at Columbia University before he joined Studebaker's Philadelphia office as a clerk-trainee in 1927. He stayed for 35 years, taking  time out only for service as a Navy lieutenant during World War II.

In the years that followed the war, he rose to general sales manager. After the 1954 Studebaker-Packard merger, he became head of dealer relations and later was appointed corporate vice president.

His post was highly visible in the industry, and Ford Motor Co. took advantage of Studebaker's difficult days in the mid-1960s to recruit Mr. Skillman. He was appointed general manager of Ford's Lincoln-Mercury  division and then named vice president of Ford of Canada.

After a decade with Ford came the end of his days in the auto industry. Retirement was dictated by a heart condition.

But he was not ready to retire.  He took a post as vice president in charge of marketing for the Red Devil Co. of New Jersey and later worked as a manufacturer's representative for a variety of companies.

Surviving are his wife, Ruby McKenna Skillman;  a daughter, Sally Odiorne;  three grandchildren, and a sister.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday in the chapel of the Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church. Memorials may be made in his name to the American Heart Association, Bryn Mawr Hospital or Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church.

Section: LOCAL
Page: F01

Copyright (c) 1984 The Philadelphia Inquirer
He served in the military Lieutenant J.G. WWII - 4/17/1944-? in U.S. Navy. He was a Lieutenant. He had Social Security Number 090-01-5974. Sydney was educated in marketing and accounting at Columbia University in New York, Kings, NY. He was an executive. He lived 539 Maison Place in Bryn Mawr, Delaware, PA. Listed in World's Who's Who in Finance & Industry, 16th Ed., 1970-71.

Sydney Alton Skillman and Ruby Elizabeth McKenna were married on 23 June 1934. Ruby Elizabeth McKenna was born on 13 June 1914. She was living on 25 March 1984 in Bryn Mawr, Delaware, PA. She died on 3 June 2003 at the age of 88 in Bryn Mawr, Delaware, PA. Obit in Phila. Inquirer & Phila. Daily News on 6/4/2003. Ruby had Social Security Number 083-05-2597 (NY). She was naturalized. Naturalization record has only her name.

Sydney Alton Skillman-13133 and Ruby Elizabeth McKenna-13134 had the following children: