Neil Joseph Gillis, 80, died September 19, 2014, in Sacramento, California, where he had recently moved after living in the Denver area for more than 45 years.

Mr. Gillis, known as "Opa" to his grandchildren, was born in Sheridan, Wyoming, on November 28, 1933.

After graduating from Sheridan High School, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy, which took him to New York City, where he met his wife of 58 years, Joan Marie Dittrich. They married in 1956 and moved to Laramie, Wyoming, where he attended the University of Wyoming, earning a degree in civil engineering in 1961.

He then began a long career with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which took him and his growing family to Grand Island, Nebraska, then San Bernardino, California, before settling in the Denver area in 1969.

He cared passionately about his family, the importance of education, the Catholic Church, the outdoors, coin collecting, his Scottish heritage, World War II history, the American Legion, the Colorado Rockies, the Denver Broncos and, of course, the Wyoming Cowboys. He gave generously of his time, including with the Knights of Columbus, the Girl Scouts, and the Boy Scouts, where he was a longtime Scoutmaster of Troop 300 at Our Lady of Lourdes. He was also generous with donations to many charitable causes, especially to several Indian mission schools in the Dakotas.

He was an exemplary husband, father, grandfather and friend.

He is survived by his wife, Joan; his children Kathleen, Elizabeth, Daniel David, Michael, John, Amy Jennifer and Will; and 17 grandchildren.

Donations can be made to one of his favorite charities, the St. Joseph Indian School at www.stjo.org.

The Sheridan Press - Oct. 24, 2014.