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“Oh, well—he wasn’t going to write Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony anyway.”—Kurt Vonnegut, “Galápagos”

Skip was a Dad, an artist, handyman, paddler, groundsman, glassblower, sand sculpture master, Zamboni driver, and loyal friend. He was wry, cynical, funny, frustrating, and loving, with a Boy Scout’s conscience and a gift for finding just the right fix for any problem with which he was presented. He entered waking life in New Haven on Dec. 3, 1961, squalling; he entered permanent sleep in Chester on July 4, reading Douglas Adams.

He is survived by his wife Sally, his children Alden and N. Leigh, and his brother Larry Ryder.

There will be no formal services; the family plans a celebratory gathering later this year. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you hug a Zamboni driver. To share a memory of Skip or send a condolence to his family, please visit www.rwwfh.com. Arrangements by Robinson, Wright & Weymer Funeral Home in Centerbrook.