DANVERS – Edward Albert “Skip” Klemm Jr., of Danvers (MA) and Wolfeboro (NH) passed away peacefully, at home, Wednesday morning April 17, after a courageous battle against two terrible diseases.

Skip was born on November 9, 1937 in Summit (NJ) and grew in Lynnfield (MA). He lived in Danvers for the last 55 years. A special place in his heart was reserved for Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire, spending summers in Wolfeboro since the early 1960’s.

Skip attended Wakefield (MA) High before attending, and graduating from, Phillips Academy in Andover (MA) in 1956, and Yale University in 1960, with dual degrees in Business and Engineering. While at Yale Skip was a member of the football team, roomed with future brother-in-law Karl Duchek, belonged to Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity, and generated income by running a food cart. Till his passing a favorite annual event was the Harvard-Yale football game.

Skip was a Private in the US Army and served in the Army National Guard. During his younger years he worked at the family bakery (Klemm’s Bakery) in Lynn and Peabody (MA) as well as his family’s restaurant, The Adams House, in Marblehead (MA). He was a skilled craftsman who as a teenager built his own three-point hydroplane boat and ran it on local ponds.

Skip started his professional career with Sylvania Lighting, serving in a variety of roles over 8 years. After 2 years at Audiovision he spent 10 years at Compugraphic Corporation progressing to the Executive Suite. At Compugraphic he started the first international subsidiary Skip served in a variety of progressive roles culminating as Vice President of Product Planning and Management.

After departing Compugraphic, Skip was Chief Executive Officer of Tegra Inc. prior to venturing into the world of business ownership. In 1988 Skip purchased a franchise of Four Seasons Sunrooms, in Peabody, MA. He loved the challenge of managing all aspects of a small business and did so until retirement in 2003.

In addition to his career, Skip enjoyed travelling with family, perfecting his son’s pinewood derby cars, finding the perfect pie, good conversation, an adult hockey league, endless projects at the lake house, and his pursuit of athletic excellence. His lifelong passion was water and snow skiing. Skip was a member of the Ski Patrol at Mt. Whittier in Ossipee (NH) and spent endless hour’s water skiing on Lake Winnipesauke.

Skip participated in competitive water skiing over four decades, setting the Eastern Regional Jump record in 1992 and 1993. He was a multi-time Eastern US Regional Champion, placed second in the World Masters Games in 1985 in Toronto, and placed third at the US Nationals in 1983. Skip was a longtime member of the Abenaki Water Ski Club of Wolfeboro and was a ski jumping fixture in their water ski shows for years. There are fond memories of him searching for submerged logs at the ski site in Wolfeboro and building a new water ski jump.

Skip attempted to be a proficient golfer yet the woods and his lack of patience got the better of him. On one occasion he was asked to leave the course by his own father-in-law. Neighbors in Danvers may recall seeing Skip unicycle by their house – an interesting sight to say the least – and will remember his booming voice echoing through the neighborhood!

When Muscular Dystrophy started to impacted Skip’s body in the 1980’s, he accepted the challenge and simply altered his approach. From a skiing perspective he took up sit-skiing on water and snow! As part of that pursuit, Skip was a member of the New England Handicapped Ski Association. Many will recall his chosen apparatus to assist in walking – two tall wooden dowels – his pride would not succumb to a cane or walker.

In his later years Skip had a constant eye on Wolfeboro Bay, from his spot on the porch, looking for that increasingly elusive water skier. Although difficult at times to understand the younger generations, he accepted the popularity of wakeboarding, tubing, and other water sports.

During Skip’s life he was a member of Salem Country Club, Trinity Church, Abenaki Water Ski Club, American Water Ski Association, New England Handicapped Ski Association, National Ski Patrol, Yale Club of Boston, Yale Alumni Schools Committee, and Sales & Marketing Executives of Greater Boston.

Skip is survived by his lovely wife and rock of 55 years, Elizabeth (Fellows) Klemm of Danvers, son Scott and partner Paige Manning, of Cambridge (MA) son Ted (Edward A III) and wife Joan, of Marblehead, and two grandchildren, Zachary and Nicole Klemm. Zachary and Nicole had a special place in his heart and he was excited to learn of Nicole’s college choice days before he passed.

Skip was pre-deceased by his sister and brother in law, Cynthia and David Rogers of Atkinson (NH) and Wolfeboro, as well as his parents, Edward Klemm Sr. and Irma VanAmburg, of Lynnfield and Moultonboro (NH). Skip leaves behind brothers and sisters in laws Judith and Karl Duchek of Westfield (NJ), Robert and Carol Fellows of Holliston (MA), and Donald and Ruth Harris of Williamsburg (VA), as well as many nieces, nephews, and other loving family members.

ARRANGEMENTS: Relatives and friend are invited to attend a celebration of Skip’s life which will be held at Trinity Church, 206 Clarendon Street, Boston on Thursday, April 25th at 2 P.M. with a gathering immediately following the service. Visiting hours in the Peterson-O’Donnell Funeral Home, 167 Maple St., (Rte. 62) Danvers on Wednesday, from 4 to 7 P.M. Skip’s burial will be at Lake View Cemetery, in Wolfeboro NH over Memorial Day Weekend. There are too many people battling the illnesses that Skip had. Please consider a donation, in Skip’s memory, to either the Muscular Dystrophy Association or the American Cancer Society. To share a memory or offer a condolence, please visit www.odonnellfuneralservice.com.