Mette K. Skillings

Mette K. Skillings, a long-time resident of Andover, MA, Vero Beach, FL, Naples, ME and Bedford, NH passed away among her family in Bedford on January 18. She was 85 years old.

Born in Elsinore, Denmark on October 1, 1932, Mette was the daughter of the late Laue and Lily Sundorph. She received her early education in Copenhagen in 1939, ending with her final examination in 1949. At the end of the Second World War, she acted as a courier for the Resistance against the German forces in Denmark under her father, a banker, who was also one of the heads of the Resistance. In the early 1950's, Mette attended the Foreign Service Program at Cambridge University in England to prepare for a career in the Foreign Service. She then returned to Copenhagen and joined the Finance Ministry. Simultaneously, she attended the Language School of Copenhagen and passed the examination in 1956. With an avid interest in global affairs, Mette was prized for her work and sent to an administrative post to become the assistant to the Consul General of Montreal. While in Montreal, she met James William Skillings, who was attending McGill University's Dental School at the time. After marrying, Mette and Jim moved to Andover, MA, where they raised their family and shared a mutual love of Scandinavian and American traditions with friends and family in the states and overseas. Mette was known as a kind-hearted friend and a loving wife and mother, with a wonderful sense of humor, empathy and keen intelligence. She was considered "one-of-a-kind."

Mette is survived by her loving husband Dr. James W. Skillings, her daughter Anne-Mette Halvorson and her husband Eric Halvorson of Minneapolis, her son James William Skillings Jr. and his wife Wendy Skillings of Bedford and son John Skillings of Charlestown. She is also survived by her three adoring grandchildren Alex Skillings, Alden Skillings and Lily Halvorson, her devoted brother, Hans Sundorph and sister-in-law Ulla Sundorph, her niece and nephew, Christian Sundorph and Bolette Sundorph Andresen of Copenhagen, her sister the late Hannah Telting, and niece Christina Telting of Amsterdam and many grand nieces and nephews. The family would like to send their gratitude to the kind and compassionate staff at Amedisys Hospice and Visiting Angels for their steadfast and loving care. They would also like to send their gratitude to the wonderful friends and family who were part of her special life.

Visiting hours will be held Saturday, January 27, 2018 from 10:00am to 12:00pm in the Douglas & Johnson Funeral Home, 214 Main St., Salem, NH. A funeral service will follow Saturday at 12:00pm in the funeral home. In lieu of flowers memorials may be directed to the NH Food Bank, 700 East Industrial Park Drive, Manchester, NH 03109 or to the Animal Rescue League of NH, 545 NH-101, Bedford, NH 03110. To send a message of condolence to the family, please view the obituary at www.douglasandjohnson.com