Alfred Loring Skinner Jr., MD, long-time Mercer Island resident and pediatrician to many Eastside families, died on April 23, 2021, at home, aged nearly 97 years.
Al grew up in Needham, Massachusetts, and was the valedictorian of his high school class. He served as a Naval officer during World War II aboard a minesweeper, then on a PT boat in the Pacific Theater. After the war he completed pre-med studies at Harvard University and attended Harvard Medical School, working summers as a yacht captain.
He married the love of his life, Sarah Smith Dieckerhoff, in February 1951 and moved with her and his stepson Peter to Seattle, where he had an internship at Harborview Hospital. After a residency in pediatrics at Massachusetts General Hospital back in Boston, the family moved to Mercer Island. Al completed a fellowship year at Children’s Orthopedic Hospital, then started what would become Mercer Island Pediatrics. He served as a clinical professor at the University of Washington and taught residents at Children’s Orthopedic Hospital. He was the school doctor for Mercer Island School District for many years and the Chairman of the Washington Chapter of Pediatrics. He helped establish the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner program at the University of Washington.
The family spent weekends skiing, backpacking, or sailing, enjoying all that the Northwest has to offer. Al loved nothing better than catching trout for breakfast on camping trips. He was fascinated by local Native American culture and educated himself on local Native lore—as well as the history of European exploration of the area.
Al and Sarah often opened their home to international students. They traveled extensively in their later years and were members of the local Alliance Français. Die-hard Husky football fans, they rarely missed a home game. They had season tickets for the Seattle Opera and the Seattle Gilbert & Sullivan Society. Al was a member of the Wranglers debating group on Mercer Island and active in the East Shore Unitarian Church. He played tennis well into his 90s. Genealogy remained a passionate interest to the end.
Al was preceded in death by a son, Thomas, and his wife Sarah. He is survived by children Peter Dieckerhoff (Sue), Jody Bower, Elizabeth Skinner and Matthew Skinner; grandchildren Adam Dieckerhoff, Evan Day (Amy), and Molly Skinner-Day; and three great-grandsons, Jacob, Sam, and Henry Day.
A memorial service is planned for August 1st at East Shore Unitarian. Remembrances to the Seattle Children's Hospital or Mercer Island Youth & Family Services.