Leo H Skellchock

Leo Harvey Skellchock (March 31, 1927 to February 3, 2025) passed away after a short period of tender care from the Beth Israel Lahey Hospital hospice providers and staff at the RiverWoods Enhanced Assisted Living Unit at Winnisquam Lodge, Exeter, New Hampshire. 

Leo was the fifth of six children born to hardworking parents, Joseph and Conception (Silva) Skellchock in Lansford, Pennsylvania. Although the family was what would be called the working-class poor, Joseph and Conception assured their children valued education and beauty. Duty to family, church, community, and country were emphasized. All the children graduated from college and established successful careers.

Leo’s path to that success included the violin, performing in the string ensemble at Lansford High School, service in the United States Navy, and then studying at and graduating from Penn State University.

He graduated from the School of Hotel Administration and used his degree well. He developed expertise and accolades in the restaurant and food service industry, focused on cleanliness and efficiency in the preparation and provision of nutritious and delicious food. As Leo would say, “hot food, hot; cold food, cold.” His career brought him to Illinois, Ohio, Wisconsin, and New England. He worked long hours, sacrificing much to grow his employers’ businesses. 

He then decided to work for himself. In 1973, he and some like-minded entrepreneurs formed DAKA, Inc, a business dedicated to providing food service to museums, corporate campuses, hospitals, schools, nursing homes, and hotels across the country. DAKA attracted the attention of institutions who wanted consistent food service and investors who saw great profitability in their model of customer service and accountability. In 1988, DAKA and the Fuddruckers gourmet hamburger chain joined forces to become DAKA International. Leo’s quiet, purposeful attention to the details of “hot food hot; cold food cold,” was a secret ingredient in the success of this transaction.

Along the way, he provided a safe, comfortable home for his first wife, Elizabeth, and two children. He also mentored as his own child Elizabeth’s son, Kenny. Years later, Kenny remembered Leo’s love, steadfast support, and direction as the singular factors that transformed Kenny’s life to one of purpose and happiness.

Leo met the love of his life, Jean, in 1979. They married in 1980. They made beautiful homes together, gardening side by side and attending to every detail inside and out for homes that spoke of peace and comfort. They also traveled the world, experiencing hot air balloon rides, gorgeous countryside and gardens, and lots of laughter and joy.

Laughter and joy, in fact, were the hallmark of Leo’s life, especially after he retired. His love of Jean introduced him to her daughters. He frequently remarked that they were like birth daughters to him. He was a man of bear hugs; deep chortles; and a delight in jokes, sometimes at his own expense. He was a central, beloved presence at every family celebration for the many decades of their shared lives.

Leo embraced the role of Grandpa to Jean’s eight grandchildren. In fact, he reached for and made gladness.

His papers are replete with business cards chronicling the journey from night kitchen manager to vice president of a publicly traded company. The files he shared with others, however, were the innumerable letters from former employees, waitresses, clerks, and secretaries who wanted him to know that his mentoring made all the difference in their lives. 

At RiverWoods, he shared mini-Heath candy bars with the staff as an expression of gratitude to each for the service they provided. He would tell the story of how his baker – sixty years earlier – created masterful confections incorporating Heath Bars to show what was possible if one put one’s full soul and purpose into one’s craft. Leo put his whole soul and purpose into his work and into acting honorably and honestly. 

Leo was predeceased by his parents, his siblings, Irene, Joseph, Julia, Laura, and Eugene. He was predeceased by his ex-wife, Elizabeth, and his daughter, Laura, and his wife, Jean Patricia Skellchock, who passed in 2021. He is survived by his son, Stephen of Claremont, NH. His stepdaughters, Patricia (Stephen) Wright; Jackie (James) Facey; Judy (George) Metcalf; and Susan (Richard Schwermer) Sheehan, will always remember the laughter and unequivocal love. So will the grandchildren, Ryan Facey, Geoffrey Facey, Emily Wright, Stephen Wright, Annie Metcalf, Joshua Schwermer, and Alyson Schwermer. Leo loved but was predeceased by Frazier Metcalf.

The family would like to thank the kind and attentive staff at RiverWoods, both at Winnisquam Lodge and the Enhanced Assisted Living Unit. The Heath Bars are a modicum of the depth of gratitude we have. 

Memorial donations in honor of Leo may be made to the Joseph and Concepcion Skellchock Scholarship Fund, Penn State University established by Leo and his sister, Julia, to honor their parents.