Otis Skillings, 69
ROCKFORD-- Otis Skillings, 69, of Rockford died at 2:05 a.m. Tuesday Oct. 12, 2004, in his home. Born July 27, 1935, in Hamilton, Ohio, just north of Cincinnati, the son of Anson and Ruth (Snyder) Dickinson Skillings. Otis married Mervyl Williams in Mason City, Iowa, April 16, 1955. His father was a Pilgrim Holiness minister, and for years Otis played the piano in his father's church. They had no choir, so he wasn't involved in choral music until the 11th grade. It was then he got an invitation from the director of Dayton Youth for Christ to come and play piano for a special meeting. That invitation proved to be a turning point in Otis' life. Otis has written thousands of songs over the decades. A number of them are still used in churches around the world. He became best known for his pioneering of youth musicals "Life," "Love" and many more. One song has made a special place for itself in hymnology of the church. While so many songs have come and gone, "The Bond of Love" still expresses our oneness in Christ in a say that is unique, compelling and timeless. As Otis travled the world as a music missionary, he often met by voices singing "The Bond of Love' in their native tongue. Otis had a wide vareity of ministries; writer and arranger for The Spurrlows, The Regeneration, The Renaissance, Youth for Christ, Skyline Wesleyan Church, First Evangelical Free Church, Splendor and Majesty, Temple Baptist and Riverside Community Church. Most recently he was working with Barnabas International. Otis is survived by his wife, Mervyl Skillings; daughter and family, Sandra MacKay and husband, mark, along with their children, Melissa, Andy, Bethany and Jonathan; daughter and family, Cindy McKelvey and husband, Jim, along with their children, Erin and Jason; mother, Ruth Skillings; sister, Caroyn Williams along with ther daughter Sheri; nephew and family, Todd and Traci Williams, along with their children, Joshua and Jacob.
Visitation from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 15, in Temple Baptist Church, 3215 E. State St. Private burial in Scandinavian Cemetery. Memorial service at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct 16, in First Evangelical Free Church, 2223 N. Mulford Road, with the Rev. Dr. John More, the Rev. Dr. Lareau Lindquist, the Rev. Dr. William Richard Kerr Sr., the Reve Dr. James Parrish and the Rev. Orval Butcher officiating. In lieu of flowers, a memorial will be established in Otis Skillings' name. Arrangements by Fred C. Olson Funeral Chapels Ltd., North Chapel, 2811 N. Main St.
Otis Skillings
The late Otis Skillings was a widely respected musician, arranger, composer, orchestra conductor, concert pianist, workshop clinician, and lecturer. He first came to prominence in the early 1970's with his trend-setting musicals LIFE and LOVE. Among his original songs are favorites like The Bond of Love and Lord, We Praise You. His music has been featured at the world conventions of many denominations and his songs appear in many leading hymnals. Otis' work has been performed in the White House and at the Democratic National Conventions. He won numerous musical honors on city, state, and national levels. Prior to his death in 2004, he directed the Sunday morning music and worship at Temple Baptist Church in Rockford, Illinois.
ROCKFORD-- Otis Skillings, 69, of Rockford died at 2:05 a.m. Tuesday Oct. 12, 2004, in his home. Born July 27, 1935, in Hamilton, Ohio, just north of Cincinnati, the son of Anson and Ruth (Snyder) Dickinson Skillings. Otis married Mervyl Williams in Mason City, Iowa, April 16, 1955. His father was a Pilgrim Holiness minister, and for years Otis played the piano in his father's church. They had no choir, so he wasn't involved in choral music until the 11th grade. It was then he got an invitation from the director of Dayton Youth for Christ to come and play piano for a special meeting. That invitation proved to be a turning point in Otis' life. Otis has written thousands of songs over the decades. A number of them are still used in churches around the world. He became best known for his pioneering of youth musicals "Life," "Love" and many more. One song has made a special place for itself in hymnology of the church. While so many songs have come and gone, "The Bond of Love" still expresses our oneness in Christ in a say that is unique, compelling and timeless. As Otis travled the world as a music missionary, he often met by voices singing "The Bond of Love' in their native tongue. Otis had a wide vareity of ministries; writer and arranger for The Spurrlows, The Regeneration, The Renaissance, Youth for Christ, Skyline Wesleyan Church, First Evangelical Free Church, Splendor and Majesty, Temple Baptist and Riverside Community Church. Most recently he was working with Barnabas International. Otis is survived by his wife, Mervyl Skillings; daughter and family, Sandra MacKay and husband, mark, along with their children, Melissa, Andy, Bethany and Jonathan; daughter and family, Cindy McKelvey and husband, Jim, along with their children, Erin and Jason; mother, Ruth Skillings; sister, Caroyn Williams along with ther daughter Sheri; nephew and family, Todd and Traci Williams, along with their children, Joshua and Jacob.
Visitation from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 15, in Temple Baptist Church, 3215 E. State St. Private burial in Scandinavian Cemetery. Memorial service at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct 16, in First Evangelical Free Church, 2223 N. Mulford Road, with the Rev. Dr. John More, the Rev. Dr. Lareau Lindquist, the Rev. Dr. William Richard Kerr Sr., the Reve Dr. James Parrish and the Rev. Orval Butcher officiating. In lieu of flowers, a memorial will be established in Otis Skillings' name. Arrangements by Fred C. Olson Funeral Chapels Ltd., North Chapel, 2811 N. Main St.
Otis Skillings
The late Otis Skillings was a widely respected musician, arranger, composer, orchestra conductor, concert pianist, workshop clinician, and lecturer. He first came to prominence in the early 1970's with his trend-setting musicals LIFE and LOVE. Among his original songs are favorites like The Bond of Love and Lord, We Praise You. His music has been featured at the world conventions of many denominations and his songs appear in many leading hymnals. Otis' work has been performed in the White House and at the Democratic National Conventions. He won numerous musical honors on city, state, and national levels. Prior to his death in 2004, he directed the Sunday morning music and worship at Temple Baptist Church in Rockford, Illinois.
Otis Skillings, 69
ROCKFORD-- Otis Skillings, 69, of Rockford died at 2:05 a.m. Tuesday Oct. 12, 2004, in his home. Born July 27, 1935, in Hamilton, Ohio, just north of Cincinnati, the son of Anson and Ruth (Snyder) Dickinson Skillings. Otis married Mervyl Williams in Mason City, Iowa, April 16, 1955. His father was a Pilgrim Holiness minister, and for years Otis played the piano in his father's church. They had no choir, so he wasn't involved in choral music until the 11th grade. It was then he got an invitation from the director of Dayton Youth for Christ to come and play piano for a special meeting. That invitation proved to be a turning point in Otis' life. Otis has written thousands of songs over the decades. A number of them are still used in churches around the world. He became best known for his pioneering of youth musicals "Life," "Love" and many more. One song has made a special place for itself in hymnology of the church. While so many songs have come and gone, "The Bond of Love" still expresses our oneness in Christ in a say that is unique, compelling and timeless. As Otis travled the world as a music missionary, he often met by voices singing "The Bond of Love' in their native tongue. Otis had a wide vareity of ministries; writer and arranger for The Spurrlows, The Regeneration, The Renaissance, Youth for Christ, Skyline Wesleyan Church, First Evangelical Free Church, Splendor and Majesty, Temple Baptist and Riverside Community Church. Most recently he was working with Barnabas International. Otis is survived by his wife, Mervyl Skillings; daughter and family, Sandra MacKay and husband, mark, along with their children, Melissa, Andy, Bethany and Jonathan; daughter and family, Cindy McKelvey and husband, Jim, along with their children, Erin and Jason; mother, Ruth Skillings; sister, Caroyn Williams along with ther daughter Sheri; nephew and family, Todd and Traci Williams, along with their children, Joshua and Jacob.
Visitation from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 15, in Temple Baptist Church, 3215 E. State St. Private burial in Scandinavian Cemetery. Memorial service at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct 16, in First Evangelical Free Church, 2223 N. Mulford Road, with the Rev. Dr. John More, the Rev. Dr. Lareau Lindquist, the Rev. Dr. William Richard Kerr Sr., the Reve Dr. James Parrish and the Rev. Orval Butcher officiating. In lieu of flowers, a memorial will be established in Otis Skillings' name. Arrangements by Fred C. Olson Funeral Chapels Ltd., North Chapel, 2811 N. Main St.
Otis Skillings
The late Otis Skillings was a widely respected musician, arranger, composer, orchestra conductor, concert pianist, workshop clinician, and lecturer. He first came to prominence in the early 1970's with his trend-setting musicals LIFE and LOVE. Among his original songs are favorites like The Bond of Love and Lord, We Praise You. His music has been featured at the world conventions of many denominations and his songs appear in many leading hymnals. Otis' work has been performed in the White House and at the Democratic National Conventions. He won numerous musical honors on city, state, and national levels. Prior to his death in 2004, he directed the Sunday morning music and worship at Temple Baptist Church in Rockford, Illinois.
ROCKFORD-- Otis Skillings, 69, of Rockford died at 2:05 a.m. Tuesday Oct. 12, 2004, in his home. Born July 27, 1935, in Hamilton, Ohio, just north of Cincinnati, the son of Anson and Ruth (Snyder) Dickinson Skillings. Otis married Mervyl Williams in Mason City, Iowa, April 16, 1955. His father was a Pilgrim Holiness minister, and for years Otis played the piano in his father's church. They had no choir, so he wasn't involved in choral music until the 11th grade. It was then he got an invitation from the director of Dayton Youth for Christ to come and play piano for a special meeting. That invitation proved to be a turning point in Otis' life. Otis has written thousands of songs over the decades. A number of them are still used in churches around the world. He became best known for his pioneering of youth musicals "Life," "Love" and many more. One song has made a special place for itself in hymnology of the church. While so many songs have come and gone, "The Bond of Love" still expresses our oneness in Christ in a say that is unique, compelling and timeless. As Otis travled the world as a music missionary, he often met by voices singing "The Bond of Love' in their native tongue. Otis had a wide vareity of ministries; writer and arranger for The Spurrlows, The Regeneration, The Renaissance, Youth for Christ, Skyline Wesleyan Church, First Evangelical Free Church, Splendor and Majesty, Temple Baptist and Riverside Community Church. Most recently he was working with Barnabas International. Otis is survived by his wife, Mervyl Skillings; daughter and family, Sandra MacKay and husband, mark, along with their children, Melissa, Andy, Bethany and Jonathan; daughter and family, Cindy McKelvey and husband, Jim, along with their children, Erin and Jason; mother, Ruth Skillings; sister, Caroyn Williams along with ther daughter Sheri; nephew and family, Todd and Traci Williams, along with their children, Joshua and Jacob.
Visitation from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 15, in Temple Baptist Church, 3215 E. State St. Private burial in Scandinavian Cemetery. Memorial service at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct 16, in First Evangelical Free Church, 2223 N. Mulford Road, with the Rev. Dr. John More, the Rev. Dr. Lareau Lindquist, the Rev. Dr. William Richard Kerr Sr., the Reve Dr. James Parrish and the Rev. Orval Butcher officiating. In lieu of flowers, a memorial will be established in Otis Skillings' name. Arrangements by Fred C. Olson Funeral Chapels Ltd., North Chapel, 2811 N. Main St.
Otis Skillings
The late Otis Skillings was a widely respected musician, arranger, composer, orchestra conductor, concert pianist, workshop clinician, and lecturer. He first came to prominence in the early 1970's with his trend-setting musicals LIFE and LOVE. Among his original songs are favorites like The Bond of Love and Lord, We Praise You. His music has been featured at the world conventions of many denominations and his songs appear in many leading hymnals. Otis' work has been performed in the White House and at the Democratic National Conventions. He won numerous musical honors on city, state, and national levels. Prior to his death in 2004, he directed the Sunday morning music and worship at Temple Baptist Church in Rockford, Illinois.
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