Tenth Generation

8552. Thomas Jenkinson "Skilly, Tom" Skillman Jr. was born on 12 July 1909 in Newark, Essex, NJ. He received a geology degree in 1931 at Princeton University in Princeton, Mercer, NJ. He died on 14 May 1984 at the age of 74 at at home in Narberth, Montgomery, PA. Philadelphia Inquirer, The (PA) - May 16, 1984
Deceased Name: THOMAS J. SKILLMAN JR., 74
Thomas J. Skillman Jr., 74, one of the founders of the diaper-service industry, died Monday at his home in Penn Valley.

He was former chairman of Blessings Corp., a diversified company based in Piscataway, N.J., with major divisions specializing in the manufacture of plastic film and in home-diaper service. He was involved in the operation of the national company for nearly 50 years.

As a director of Blessings, he played a role in the $13 million sale of its diaper service in March to the Sketchley Co., a British company.

Until the sale, Blessings was known as the country's biggest diaper-service company. It held a steady 28 percent of the $120 million market despite the growth in sales of Huggies, Luvs, Pampers and other disposables.

The industry was born out of necessity, at least on his part, Mr. Skillman recalled for interviewers.

He had graduated from Princeton University with a degree in geology. But it was 1931, and no one wanted or needed geologists. Nearly everybody, he was sure, needed diapers.

Others, like Morris Bonoff, whose father owned a laundry business, had the same notion at about the same time: Do for a fee what nobody else wanted to do - wash diapers.

Swapping ideas and experiences, Bonoff and Mr. Skillman got their businesses in gear.

Parents in New York and Philadelphia had someplace to send their dirty diapers, even if the rest of the country did not. Soon the service spread.

Mr. Skillman's Dy-Dee Wash, founded in Narberth with delivery to the baby's home assured throughout the metropolitan area, grew like topsy. A town here, a town there was added to the list. The company moved to Philadelphia and then to Collingswood, N.J.

The company merged in 1940 to become Associated Baby Services and, in time, Blessings Corp.

Mr. Skillman was vice president of Dy-Dee and its successors until 1968, was president between 1968 and 1970, was chairman from 1970 to 1977 and was director of Blessings and Dy-Dee until his death.

Along the way the diaper had become big business. Blessings Corp. operates 25 laundry and distribution plants from Connecticut to California. Each week it picks up, cleans, packages and distributes an average of 75 diapers to each home of a new babe.

In 1980, one of the last years on record, that involved 5 million dirty diapers each week.

Blessings and its subsidiaries were major forces in communities such as Louisville, Ky.; Cincinnati, Dayton and Columbus in Ohio; Philadelphia, and Lancaster. Lancaster, with more than 8,000 customers, has long been among the top diaper-service markets.

Mr. Skillman was a former president of the National Institute of Diaper Services. He was a member of the St. Davids Golf Club and the Pine Valley Golf Club.

Surviving are his wife, Shirley B. Swift Skillman; sons, Thomas 3d, David and Dean; a daughter, Sarah; seven grandchildren; a brother, and a sister.

Services will be held at 4 p.m. Friday at Narberth Presbyterian Church.

Contributions may be made in his name to Princeton or to Bryn Mawr Hospital.
Edition: FINAL Skilly, Tom had Social Security Number 160-07-1840. He was a chairman at Blessings Corp. in Piscataway, Middlesex, NJ. He founded Dy-Dee Wash in Narberth. Later it moved to Philadelphia, then Collingswood, NJ. It merged in 1940 to become Associated Baby Services, then Blessings Corp.

Blessings is a diversified company with major divisions specializing in the manufacture of plastic film and in home-diaper service. He was involved in the operation of the national company for nearly 50 years.

He was vice-president of Dy-Dee and its successors until 1968, was president between 1968 and 1970, was chairman from 1970 to 1977 and was director of Blessings and Dy-Dee until his death.

Obit in Phila. Inquirer, May 16 1984, posted on David Conover's Famous Cousins-Exhibit.htm One of founders of diaper-service industry. Chairman of Blessings Corp., a diversified co. based in Piscataway, N.J.

Thomas Jenkinson "Skilly, Tom" Skillman Jr. and Shirley Bernice Swift were married on 15 August 1934 in Wayne, Delaware, PA. SHIRLEY B. SWIFT, BECOMES A BRIDE - MARRIAGE TO T.J. SKILLMAN, SOLEMNIZED IN CHURCH AT WAYN E, PA.

Wayne, PA., Aug 15. - Miss Shirley B. Swift, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Archie D. Swift, was married to Thomas J. Skillman, Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas J. Skillman, also of Wayne, this afternoon in Wayne Presbyterian Church by the Rev. Charles B. Shaw.

The bride, who was given in marriage by her father, wore a gown of white mousseline de sole, made with a long train edged with a deep circular flounce. She wore a short veil of mousseline de sole and carried white gladioli and lilies of the valley.

Miss Virginia Swift was maid of honor for her sister. She wore a frock of green chiffon with a horse-hair hat of matching color and carried yellow gladioli. Mrs. Charles C. Leidy, Jr., sister of the bridgegroom, was a matron of honor. She wore a peach-colored chiffon frock with a matching hat, and carried peach-colored gladioli and blue larkspur.

Richard J. Skillman was best man for his brother. The ushers were William Miller, George J. Edwards, 3rd, A. Dean Swift, Jr., John Y. Howson, Philip H. Foote and Charles C. Leidy.

The ceremony was followed by a reception for members of the two families and the bridal party at the home of the bride's parents.

Mr. and Mrs. Skillman, after their wedding trip, will live at 344 1/s Meeting House Lane, Narberth, PA.

NYT, Thursday, August 6, 1934; 14:6.
Shirley Bernice Swift, daughter of Archibald Dean Swift and Bernice Maude Thompson, was born on 10 January 1911 in Ridgeway, Elk, PA. She lived in Bala-Cynwyd, Montgomery, PA in June 1987. She died on 27 June 1987 at the age of 76 in Narberth, Montgomery, PA. Shirley had Social Security Number 155-32-6958.

Thomas Jenkinson "Skilly, Tom" Skillman Jr.-3765 and Shirley Bernice Swift-6052 had the following children: