David George Sills of Irvine, Calif., formerly of Peoria Heights, age 73, born March 21, 1938, passed away quietly on Aug. 23, 2011. He was the son of George D. Sills and Mildred (Luthy) Sills of Peoria, Ill. - both predeceased.
David graduated from Peoria Heights Grade School, Woodruff High School, Bradley University and the University of Illinois Law School. After law school, Capt. Sills served his country as a company commander and brigade staff officer in the Marine Corps from 1960-1965.
He had an early political career while the son-in-law of Ronald Reagan, future governor of California and president of the United States, while he was married to the late Maureen Reagan. He first visited California with the Explorer Boy Scouts from Peoria Heights and attended the 1953 Boy Scout Jamboree.
After completing his education in Peoria and Champaign, he returned to California to an area that would become Irvine. He was elected mayor of this small town of 16,000 in 1976 and served 10 years on its City Council, including four terms as mayor. He presided over its transformation from a sleepy suburb to a city that now has a population of more than 220,000.
At the same time, he also built a successful law practice and was appointed to the Superior Court bench by Gov. Deukmejian in 1985. Five years later, he was elevated to the position of presiding justice of Division 3 of the California Court of Appeal for the next 21 years until his death in 2011. He turned out an astounding 2,000-plus opinions whose quality of analysis and rapier prose made him a force to be reckoned with in the development of California law.
During these same 25 years, he served as the chairman of Irvine Health Foundation. The growth of Orange County, Calif., required a larger court building, and he worked closely with all who help design and build the new showpiece court building in Santa Ana from its inception until its recent completion. No one who knew him will enter this building without thinking of the man who made it possible.
He is survived by his wife, Susan (LaCroix) Sills; his brother, Dan Sills; cousins, Mike, Carl, Janis and Lori Luthy of Peoria and Bill Foust of Peoria Heights; his niece Heidi Sills Fritz and her sons; his bereft colleagues on the Court of Appeal; his Marine comrades; the citizens of Irvine; a grieving legal community; and his many running friends who participated in marathons and other running events for the last 50 years.
Peoria Journal Star, The (IL) - August 31, 2011
David graduated from Peoria Heights Grade School, Woodruff High School, Bradley University and the University of Illinois Law School. After law school, Capt. Sills served his country as a company commander and brigade staff officer in the Marine Corps from 1960-1965.
He had an early political career while the son-in-law of Ronald Reagan, future governor of California and president of the United States, while he was married to the late Maureen Reagan. He first visited California with the Explorer Boy Scouts from Peoria Heights and attended the 1953 Boy Scout Jamboree.
After completing his education in Peoria and Champaign, he returned to California to an area that would become Irvine. He was elected mayor of this small town of 16,000 in 1976 and served 10 years on its City Council, including four terms as mayor. He presided over its transformation from a sleepy suburb to a city that now has a population of more than 220,000.
At the same time, he also built a successful law practice and was appointed to the Superior Court bench by Gov. Deukmejian in 1985. Five years later, he was elevated to the position of presiding justice of Division 3 of the California Court of Appeal for the next 21 years until his death in 2011. He turned out an astounding 2,000-plus opinions whose quality of analysis and rapier prose made him a force to be reckoned with in the development of California law.
During these same 25 years, he served as the chairman of Irvine Health Foundation. The growth of Orange County, Calif., required a larger court building, and he worked closely with all who help design and build the new showpiece court building in Santa Ana from its inception until its recent completion. No one who knew him will enter this building without thinking of the man who made it possible.
He is survived by his wife, Susan (LaCroix) Sills; his brother, Dan Sills; cousins, Mike, Carl, Janis and Lori Luthy of Peoria and Bill Foust of Peoria Heights; his niece Heidi Sills Fritz and her sons; his bereft colleagues on the Court of Appeal; his Marine comrades; the citizens of Irvine; a grieving legal community; and his many running friends who participated in marathons and other running events for the last 50 years.
Peoria Journal Star, The (IL) - August 31, 2011
David George Sills of Irvine, Calif., formerly of Peoria Heights, age 73, born March 21, 1938, passed away quietly on Aug. 23, 2011. He was the son of George D. Sills and Mildred (Luthy) Sills of Peoria, Ill. - both predeceased.
David graduated from Peoria Heights Grade School, Woodruff High School, Bradley University and the University of Illinois Law School. After law school, Capt. Sills served his country as a company commander and brigade staff officer in the Marine Corps from 1960-1965.
He had an early political career while the son-in-law of Ronald Reagan, future governor of California and president of the United States, while he was married to the late Maureen Reagan. He first visited California with the Explorer Boy Scouts from Peoria Heights and attended the 1953 Boy Scout Jamboree.
After completing his education in Peoria and Champaign, he returned to California to an area that would become Irvine. He was elected mayor of this small town of 16,000 in 1976 and served 10 years on its City Council, including four terms as mayor. He presided over its transformation from a sleepy suburb to a city that now has a population of more than 220,000.
At the same time, he also built a successful law practice and was appointed to the Superior Court bench by Gov. Deukmejian in 1985. Five years later, he was elevated to the position of presiding justice of Division 3 of the California Court of Appeal for the next 21 years until his death in 2011. He turned out an astounding 2,000-plus opinions whose quality of analysis and rapier prose made him a force to be reckoned with in the development of California law.
During these same 25 years, he served as the chairman of Irvine Health Foundation. The growth of Orange County, Calif., required a larger court building, and he worked closely with all who help design and build the new showpiece court building in Santa Ana from its inception until its recent completion. No one who knew him will enter this building without thinking of the man who made it possible.
He is survived by his wife, Susan (LaCroix) Sills; his brother, Dan Sills; cousins, Mike, Carl, Janis and Lori Luthy of Peoria and Bill Foust of Peoria Heights; his niece Heidi Sills Fritz and her sons; his bereft colleagues on the Court of Appeal; his Marine comrades; the citizens of Irvine; a grieving legal community; and his many running friends who participated in marathons and other running events for the last 50 years.
Peoria Journal Star, The (IL) - August 31, 2011
David graduated from Peoria Heights Grade School, Woodruff High School, Bradley University and the University of Illinois Law School. After law school, Capt. Sills served his country as a company commander and brigade staff officer in the Marine Corps from 1960-1965.
He had an early political career while the son-in-law of Ronald Reagan, future governor of California and president of the United States, while he was married to the late Maureen Reagan. He first visited California with the Explorer Boy Scouts from Peoria Heights and attended the 1953 Boy Scout Jamboree.
After completing his education in Peoria and Champaign, he returned to California to an area that would become Irvine. He was elected mayor of this small town of 16,000 in 1976 and served 10 years on its City Council, including four terms as mayor. He presided over its transformation from a sleepy suburb to a city that now has a population of more than 220,000.
At the same time, he also built a successful law practice and was appointed to the Superior Court bench by Gov. Deukmejian in 1985. Five years later, he was elevated to the position of presiding justice of Division 3 of the California Court of Appeal for the next 21 years until his death in 2011. He turned out an astounding 2,000-plus opinions whose quality of analysis and rapier prose made him a force to be reckoned with in the development of California law.
During these same 25 years, he served as the chairman of Irvine Health Foundation. The growth of Orange County, Calif., required a larger court building, and he worked closely with all who help design and build the new showpiece court building in Santa Ana from its inception until its recent completion. No one who knew him will enter this building without thinking of the man who made it possible.
He is survived by his wife, Susan (LaCroix) Sills; his brother, Dan Sills; cousins, Mike, Carl, Janis and Lori Luthy of Peoria and Bill Foust of Peoria Heights; his niece Heidi Sills Fritz and her sons; his bereft colleagues on the Court of Appeal; his Marine comrades; the citizens of Irvine; a grieving legal community; and his many running friends who participated in marathons and other running events for the last 50 years.
Peoria Journal Star, The (IL) - August 31, 2011
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