Daniel Granville Bills

Dan was born in September l924 in Wenatchee, WA. He was the first of two children of Frank Granville Bills and Caroline Keck Bills. He received his education from Wenatchee High School, graduating in l943 in time to enlist in the Army Air Corps during WWII. He served as a radio-operator on a B-l7 in the 8th Air Force at Podington, England. He flew 35 missions over Europe, parachuting once from a disabled bomber and landing in Belgium, just inside Allied territory. He returned stateside in early June l945 and married his high school sweetheart, June McLean, on June 5, l945 and was honorably discharged on Armistice Day, November 11, l945.

Dan received a BS in Electrical Engineering in l949 and a MS in Physics in l951

from Washington State University. He went on to receive a PhD in atomic physics

from Harvard University in l957. While at Harvard he co-founded Granville-

Phillips Co. with fellow graduate student, Nathaniel Phillips Carleton. Dan brought

the company to Pullman, WA where he was also teaching physics at Washington

State University. He gave up teaching and moved Granville-Phillips to Boulder, CO

in l962 and went on to become a leading supplier in very low-pressure measuring

instrumentation for the semiconductor industry. Dan holds over 20 patents, mostly in

the field of ultra-high vacuum measurement, and was listed in Who’s Who in

America. He served as President, and then CEO and Chairman of the Board of

Granville-Phillips for many years, retiring in l998. Dan was an Honorary Life Member of the American Vacuum Society. He was also Treasurer, President and served on the Board of Directors of AVS.

Dan enjoyed golfing, inventing, formal problem solving and vacationing in Hawaii, visiting it many times.

Dan is survived by June, his wife of 65 years. He also has three children: Diane Lynn

Paukstis (Gary, deceased) of Bellevue, WA; Brian McLean Bills (Janet) of Longmont, CO; and Anita Liane McMillin (Jim) of Madisonville, TX. He also has two grandchildren, Hannah Elizabeth and Christopher Lynn Paukstis. Dan is also survived by one brother, Jack C. Bills (Mary, deceased) of East Wenatchee, WA.

The family wishes to thank the staff of Frasier Meadows Health Care Center and Boulder County Hospice for their outstanding care during his illness.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Dan’s memory may be made to The Children’s Hospital Foundation, 13123 East l6th Avenue, Box 045, Aurora, CO 80045 or HospiceCare of Boulder & Broomfield Counties, 2594 Trailridge Dr. E, Lafayette, CO 80026 or a charity of your choice.