Geoffrey Charles Gill

Geoffrey Charles Gill, age 78, died Sunday, December 20, 2020, from complications following heart surgery.

Geoffrey was born in Atlanta, Georgia to Hugh and Agnes Gill on April 13, 1942. He was a proud 1960 graduate of Sylvan Hills High School. He then attended the Georgia Institute of Technology, graduating in 1964 with a Bachelor of Science Industrial Management. He was a member of Kappa Sigma Fraternity and served as the President of the Alpha Tau chapter twice. He also served in the Navy ROTC, as a member of Alpha Kappa Psi, on the Interfraternity Council, and the Ramblin’ Reck Club. This began a lifetime of giving back to his beloved Georgia Tech and Kappa Sig.

After graduating from Georgia Tech, Geoffrey was inducted as a Lieutenant into the US Navy and moved to Athens, GA in 1964 to attend Navy Supply School. Upon graduation, he moved to San Diego, CA in 1965, serving as a Supply Officer on the USS Vancouver during the Vietnam conflict. After his tour, he moved back to Atlanta and attended Emory University, receiving his Master of Business Administration in 1967.

Geoffrey began his career with IBM and then transitioned to a 50-year career as a Financial Advisor beginning with The Robinson-Humphrey Company, and finally as Vice President of Wealth Management at UBS Financial Services.

Geoffrey was married in 1992 to Elizabeth (Jackson) Gill of Atlanta, and they enjoyed traveling around the world and spending time with family and friends at their lake house, The Ramblin’ Wreck 2.1, on Lake Burton, GA.

His commitment to Georgia Tech and the Alpha Tau chapter of Kappa Sigma is legendary. Geoffrey served on the Alumni Trustee Board from 1979 – 1986 and served as President of the Alumni Association from 1985 – 1986. He was on the Dean’s Advisory Board, College of Management from 1994 – 1997. He served for 22 years as an elected member of the Georgia Tech Foundation Board of Trustees from 1987 until becoming a member Emeritus in 2009, a position he held until his death. Geoffrey received the J.M. Pettit Alumni Distinguished Service Award in 2005, the highest award conferred by the Alumni Association.

Geoffrey was president of the Kappa Sigma House Corporation for most of the 1980s and 90s. He led fundraising and construction efforts to add the 2nd story to the chapter house at Georgia Tech in 1993 and the use of the house for the Olympics in 1996. He set up the long-term plans that eventually led to the construction of a new house in 2013. Geoffrey is heralded as the founding father of the modern alumni leadership of the chapter house at Georgia Tech and the Geoffrey C. Gill Award is given by the chapter to the outstanding senior each year.

Geoffrey was a proud and loyal member of the Buckhead Rotary Club and a valued member of the club’s long-range planning committee. He was the club’s membership chair for two years and set club records for attracting new members. He received both the New Rotarian of the Year (2013) and the President’s Award (2019) from the Club. In addition, he was recognized by winning the Rotary District 6900 Al Daniels Award in 2018. His leadership as a mentor to many new club members solidified his reputation within the club.

He was preceded in death by his daughter, Rachel Leslie Thorn of Atlanta, GA.

Geoffrey is survived by his wife of 28 years, Elizabeth (Jackson) Gill; daughters and sons-in-law Nancy (Gill) and Adam Berger of Dunwoody, GA and Erica (Thorn) and Michael Niesse of Roswell, GA; son and daughter-in-law Curtis and Wendy Gill of Atlanta, GA; and his brother and sister-in-law, Andrew and Ann Gill of Cumming, GA. He was Papa Geoff to his six grandchildren, who brought joy to his life – Erin and Anna Kate Berger, Jack and Charlie Gill, and Jackson and Rachel Niesse.

Due to COVID, information about a virtual celebration of Geoffrey’s life will be forthcoming.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the G. Wayne Clough Tech Promise Scholarship fund in memory of Geoffrey Gill. All donations should be made payable to the Georgia Tech Foundation Inc., and mailed to 760 Spring Street NW, Suite 400, Atlanta, GA 30308. Please indicate on the memo line “G. Wayne Clough Tech Promise Scholarship “. Online donations can be made by going to this link https://development.gatech.edu/ and click on the “GIVE NOW” and enter “G. Wayne Clough Tech Promise Scholarship Fund” in the “Other Designation” Box.