Paul E. Gill

Paul Eugene Gill passed away surrounded by family on Friday, May 17th at the Chambersburg Hospital.

Paul was born on October 14th, 1937, the son of the late Paul I. and Alta V. (Graffius) Gill of Spruce Creek, PA. He graduated from Juniata Valley High School in 1954, where he lettered in football. In November 1954, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, serving four years on active duty followed by eight years in the active Marine Reserves. As an infantry platoon sergeant, he was a shooting expert with both the M1 rifle and the .45 automatic, and a member of the Third Marine Division Rifle and Pistol Team. He was discharged in 1966 with the rank of Staff Sergeant after tours of duty in Occupied Japan, Okinawa, and the Territory of Hawaii.

In 1959, he began his studies at Juniata College in Huntingdon, PA, graduating magna cum laude in 1962. He pursued graduate work at Penn State University, earning his M.A. in 1964 and his Ph.D. in medieval history in 1968. Paul joined Shippensburg State College (now Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania) as an instructor in 1964, rising to the rank of full professor by 1970. Over his distinguished career, he taught courses in world history, ancient, medieval, and Reformation history, on both the undergraduate and graduate levels, as well as philosophy and religion. In 1978, he was honored with the Distinguished Teaching Award.

Paul furthered his academic pursuits with post-doctoral work at Brown University, Columbia University, and a fellowship at Harvard University (1976-7). In 1972, his research included a summer in Egypt conducting a research project on Coptic Christianity, culminating in a personal audience with the Coptic Pope. He also attended a USMC ROTC workshop at West Point in teaching U.S. Military History during the summer of 1986.

Paul published numerous articles in several national scholarly journals and made invited presentations at several national conventions such as the American Historical Association and the International Medieval Conference at Western Michigan University. After 35 years of dedicated teaching, Dr. Gill retired from Shippensburg University in 1999.

Dr. Gill was active in two local historical associations: the Shippensburg Historical Society, where he served two terms as President; and the Cumberland County Historical Society, where he served two terms on the board of directors. In 1988 he published Ye People of Hopewell: A Two Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary of the Middle Spring Presbyterian Church. In 1992 he published the first volume of the Heritage Series for the Cumberland County Historical Society entitled: Drive the Road and Bridge the Ford: Nineteenth Century Cumberland County Highway Bridges. In recognition of his contribution to the local history, in 1992 Dr. Gill was named Historian of the Year by the Cumberland County Historical Society.

He served as a member of the county-wide committee for the 250th anniversary of Cumberland County, and edited two volumes for that celebration in 2000: a pictorial history of the Shippensburg area, and a volume of Faith Communities of Cumberland County. In 2012 he published a pictorial history entitled Shippensburg in the Images of America series of Arcadia Publishing Company. He updated the history of the Middle Spring Presbyterian Church with a brochure on the church period during the period of 1988 to 2013.

A life-long physical fitness addict, Gill took up long-distance running in his forties, participating in several marathons, including the Marine Corps Marathon (twice), the Jim Thorpe Marathon, and the New York Marathon, finishing in a respectable middle-of-the-pack in all. When he knees gave out he retired to the fitness center for aerobic and weightlifting routines until his demise. He also walked several miles on each of the several days a week.

His “Bucket List” activities included a sky dive in the Alps and two sky dives (tandem) at the Chambersburg Airport. In March of 2015 he made a pilgrimage to the sites of three hard fought Marine battles: Guam, Iwo Jima, and Peleliu. Paul and his wife, Donna, traveled extensively, visiting numerous countries including China, Luxembourg, Russia, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Greece, Turkey, and the state of Alaska.

He was a devoted member of the Middle Spring Presbyterian Church, serving several terms as an Elder, and held life memberships in the Landis-McLeaf Marine Corps League, the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the Big Spring Fish and Game Association.

Gill is survived by his beloved wife of 62 years, Donna Jean Myers Gill, and three daughters, April Elizabeth Wu, widow of Jin Long Wu, and former math teacher at York High School; Jacqueline Ann Gill, a registered nurse at UPMC and veteran of “Desert Storm” with the Army Reserves; and Annette Jane Eyer who serves with the American Lung Association and wife of Jesse David Eyer of Mechanicsburg; three grandchildren, Adrienne Jean Wu and spouse Brittany Fowler, Kennedy Leigh Eyer, and Sophia Nicolle Eyer. In addition to his parents he was predeceased by his brothers, Robert of Huntingdon (a survivor of Pearl Harbor), Kenneth of Spruce Creek and William E. of Bellefonte; sisters, Hope Elizabeth Casner and Marjorie McCarthy, and son Paul Edward Gill.

Professional services have been entrusted to Dugan Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc., 51 Asper Drive, Shippensburg. A Memorial Service will be held at Middle Spring Presbyterian Church with the Reverend Ed Blank presiding on Saturday, June 8th. A Visitation with the family will begin at 10:00 AM, followed by the Service at 11:00 AM. A Military Graveside Ceremony will be conducted by the marching unit of American Legion Post 223. A reception will follow in the Fellowship Hall immediately after the burial of ashes at Middle Spring Cemetery.

Memorial contributions can be made to the Shippensburg University Foundation honoring Dr. Paul E. Gill. Checks can be made payable to SU Foundation and mailed to: Shippensburg University Foundation, 500 Newburg Road, Shippensburg, PA 17275 or the Middle Spring Presbyterian Church, honoring Dr. Paul E. Gill and mailed to Middle Spring Presbyterian Church, 135 Middle Spring Road, Shippensburg, PA 17257. To leave a condolence for the family, please visit www.DuganFH.com.