Robert Skilliter Jr.

1931 - 2025

News story
By Kelly Kaczala
Blade staff writer

Robert Skilliter, Jr., who packed many accomplishments in the eight years he was mayor of Genoa, died Nov. 1. He was 94.

He was under hospice care at the Genoa Retirement Village.

"He had a whole list of ailments, but he was still very clear in his thinking," said his son, Robert Skilliter III, the oldest of five children.

Thomas Bergman, administrator of Genoa, said Mr. Skilliter, who served as mayor for two terms in the 1990s, did a lot for the village.

"He was one of the best civic leaders in this town's history," said Mr. Bergman, who was mayor of Genoa from 2020 to 2023 before he became administrator. "The 1990s was a decade of progress, and we owe him a lot for that."

The pace at which projects got done was fast, he said.

"During his administration, we saw the widening and rerouting of State Rt. 163 through Genoa, and the sanitary sewer separation, done decades before other communities did it. We were certainly ahead of the pack. He also did a lot of water upgrades, and the downtown streetscape was rebuilt by him and his administration. Our beautiful downtown was permanently improved by his efforts."

Mr. Bergman said he learned a lot from Mr. Skilliter due to his long experience in public service.

"When you talked to him, there was a lot of wisdom to be learned. I looked forward to those opportunities to speak with him," Mr. Bergman said.

The younger Mr. Skilliter said his dad was drawn to people because he got along so well with others.

"He liked politics. As mayor, he got quite a bit done. He could get along with politically diverse people," the son said. "He ended up being a fan of Marcy Kaptur, even though she is a Democrat and he was a Republican. He respected her for all the things she did for northwest Ohio."

Robert Skilliter III described his dad's personality as "very stoic, probably from his Nordic roots on his mother's side."

"Toward the end, his goal was to outlive his mother, who lived to be 99," Mr. Skilliter said. "What got him through life was staying focused on goals. He was very goal oriented. As his health declined, outliving his mother was getting harder and harder to do."

It was ingrained in his psyche and personality to persevere and keep on going, the younger Mr. Skilliter said.

"It took him a long way. We're all rejoiceful that we had him as long as we did," he said.

Mr. Skilliter married his high school sweetheart, Theresa Ann Grosjean, in 1951 and started a family in 1955. Their first three children were born within five years. The two youngest were born when Theresa was 39 and 41 years old.

"They were doting parents. They were always kind. I don't think I ever got a spanking from my dad," the younger Mr. Skilliter said. "He was a devout Methodist. My parents were very church oriented. It was a good family environment."

His dad was also very devoted to his wife, who died in 2020.

"She struggled with memory issues for a long time, and he chose to try and care for her at home," the son said.

Described as "seasoned travelers," the couple drove their motor home to Florida and to the West Coast. They also went to Europe, Mexico, and Canada, Mr. Skilliter said.

Family was important.

"He was always a part of our lives. My parents took us camping, which they loved. When he was close to retirement, they enjoyed their cottage on Lake Erie near Port Clinton. In later years, they made the rounds visiting their children on Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, and on our birthdays," he said.

His only daughter, Mary Bergman, remembers getting the camper ready for weekend getaways.

"We did a lot of camping. I have lots of good memories," she said.

She learned from her parents at a young age to help those less fortunate.

"I remember delivering fruit and visiting elderly people. My parents impressed upon us that you reach out to those in need. It made an impression on me. That's how they lived. If anyone had a need, they would find a way to help," Mrs. Bergman said.

One of the things she remembers most about her dad was how much she sought his counsel on just about anything.

"I always tapped him for advice. He was very wise, and I always appreciated it," she said.

Robert Skilliter, Jr., was born in Genoa to Robert, Sr., and Marian Hanson Skilliter on Aug. 11, 1931, and lived most of his life on the same block on West Street.

He graduated from Genoa Area High School in 1949 and attended Miami University in Ohio and the University of Toledo. He became a volunteer firefighter for the Clay-Genoa Fire Department and assumed management responsibilities for the Skilliter Hardware store in Genoa. He eventually was elected president of the Clay-Genoa Volunteer Firemen's Association.

In 1959, he made a career change to help manage, along with his brother, Don, and their father, Acme Specialty Manufacturing Company in Toledo. He moved up through the ranks and ultimately became general manager and then president of the firm until his retirement in 1995. He continued to serve as adviser to Acme Specialty and as director and chairman of the board of the Genoa Savings and Loan.

As a skilled handyman, woodworker, and tinkerer/innovator, he planned and installed many kitchens and baths in area homes in his early days as part of his Genoa hardware store duties. He helped with many church maintenance and rehabbing activities, including refinishing pews, renovating a school bus for youth activities, and coordinating to have a sanctuary elevator installed and donated by the Skilliter family.

As president at Acme Specialty, he created many process and product innovations and was awarded two patents in the field of mobile mirror and sunshade design. He helped develop a line of super durable tempered glass mirrors for off-road construction haul trucks that are still in use today.

His involvement with the Toledo Rotary chapter included supporting its outreach program for Vietnam War refugees in the late 1970s. He personally sponsored, advocated for, and housed several refugee families through their process of assimilation and becoming legal American citizens, his son said.

He was involved in many community, charity, and church efforts, usually accepting positions of responsibility. He chaired the annual Genoa homecoming, was a director of the regional Boys Scouts of America Council, and served as director of the Toledo Regional Management Association. He was a member of the Ottawa County Planning Commission, director of the Jaycees, director of the American Red Cross of Greater Toledo Area Chapter, a member of numerous school levy campaigns, and Genoa Parks Committee chairman. He was a lay leader, church board member, and parishioner of Trinity United Methodist Church and an active member of Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments.

Mr. Skilliter was elected Genoa village councilman in 1986. Four years later, he was elected mayor, serving two terms. In 2015, he was honored as the outstanding senior citizen of Ottawa County. He and Theresa delivered mobile meals for several years.

He is survived by children Robert Skilliter III, Mary Bergman, William, Richard, and Gerald Skilliter; 12 grandchildren; and 29 great-grandchildren.

Memorial contributions can be made to Genoa Trinity United Methodist Church Arts Memorial Fund.