James Gordon Skidmore Iii

James Gordon Skidmore III of Chalfont died peacefully at Doylestown Hospital on January 4, 2020 at the age of 69.

Jim is survived by his wife, Claire N. Skidmore; son, Matthew G. Skidmore, wife Laura, and grandsons Callahan and Harrison of New Jersey; daughter, Allison C. Skidmore of Singapore; and sister, Pamela Bissell of Florida.  He is preceded in death by his parents, James G. and Janet M. of North Carolina and brother-in-law Lyle W Bissell.

Jim was born on October 3, 1950 in Bronxville, NY and grew up in Norwalk, CT.  He was an avid equestrian and spent his childhood learning horsemanship, caring for horses, and competing in riding events.  Jim graduated from Norwalk High School in 1968 and attended St. Lawrence University, where he graduated in 1973 with a BS in Biology and Chemistry.  He met Claire Niederbuhl of Bloomingdale, NY at St. Lawrence who graduated with a BS in Mathematics and the two were married in 1973. Following their wedding, they moved to Philadelphia and then bought their first and only house in Chalfont in 1976, where they have resided for over 40 years.  During their early years as newlyweds, Jim acquired his pilot's license and the two enjoyed vacationing in the Cessna.

Jim began his career for what was then Smith Kline and French Laboratories as a cardiovascular researcher.  He continued in the medical field throughout his career, with time spent at Sterling-Winthrop, Sanofi, and most recently, 18 years at Merck prior to retiring in 2014.  During his time at Merck, he was able to feed his interest in data metrics and profoundly enjoyed working alongside a great group of individuals. He spent over 20 years volunteering as Corporate Treasurer for the Lenape Valley Recreation Council which provides year-round intramural athletics for children in the surrounding area. In his free time, Jim enjoyed asking difficult-to-answer questions, reading financial articles, providing trip recommendations, manicuring and maintaining his property, and acting as the pool recreation manager.  Jim will always be remembered for his dry sense of humor, detailed and meticulous preparation, and willingness to give advice.  He was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather, and he was very passionate about spending time with his family.

At the request of the family, all services will be private.

The family would like to thank the following organizations and people for their outstanding care over the years: Doylestown Health Internal Medicine Practice and their staff, specifically Dr. Gerald Eddy and Dr. Jon Walheim; Bucks County Medical Associates, PC and their staff, especially Dr. Stanford Gittlen as well as Doylestown Hospital and their staff.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Doylestown Hospital Foundation ( https://doylestownhealthfoundation.org/donate/ ) Designation - Clark Center for Critical Care, In Memory of James Skidmore or Chal-Brit Regional EMS ( http://chalfontems.org/ )