George Edward Bills Sr.'s Obituary
George Edward Bills Sr., age 85, died peacefully on December 12, 2019, with family by his side. George was born on September 7, 1934, in Afton, Iowa, to the late Earle and Grace (Jungst) Bills.
George was raised an Iowa farm boy, but after graduation, he left home to work for the railroad and then enlisted with the US Navy. After his discharge in 1957, he attended Roosevelt University in Chicago, where he majored in mathematics, and then moved East to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, to work as a systems analyst for Univac. George met his wife of 53 years, Elsie Hockenbrocht, who also worked for Univac, and they were married in 1966.
George is survived by his wife; two children, Cheryll Sachs (Adam) of Leesburg, VA and Ed Bills of Brooklyn, NY; two grandchildren, Andy and Brad; his sister and three brothers; and many nieces and nephews.
George transferred with Univac to the DC area in 1970, making Gaithersburg, MD, followed by Damascus, MD, the home where he raised his family. He spent the rest of his career with Unisys (previously Sperry/Univac), retiring in 1999. He and his wife built their dream home in Mt. Airy, MD, in 1995, later moving to Thurmont, MD, before finally settling in Leesburg, VA, to be near his daughter and family.
Making his living working with computers, George was often found tinkering on his computer during his off hours as well and long into retirement. He was even known to be caught napping there, with the mouse still in his hand. He was a scout leader, taking his son and his fellow scouts on camping adventures. He loved working in his yard and doing home improvements inside his home (often with his kids’ “help,” which he always accepted with a smile and an incredible amount of patience). George enjoyed gardening and tapped into his farming experience to plant a large garden behind the house, where he produced a bounty of fresh vegetables every summer for his family.
But, George was a family man first. He adored his family and found his greatest joys in the time he spent with them. His quick wit and sense of humor always had his family laughing, and his large repertoire of bad dad jokes usually had everyone rolling their eyes (and secretly giggling). He was quick to laugh, loved to hug, and always had a joke ready to lighten the mood. George has left his family and friends with a lifetime of memories that bring smiles almost as big and bright as his own.
The family will hold a private tribute at a later date. Memorial contributions can be made in George’s name to the Alzheimer’s Association National Capital Area Chapter at 8180 Greensboro Drive, Suite 400, McLean, VA, 22102, or at www.alz.org/nca/donate.
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