Paul Gill

Pritpal Singh Gill, age 86, died on July 19, 2022 in Naples, Florida. He was born in Quetta British India pre-partition on April 27, 1936.

Paul was a warm and loving father, uncle and mentor. As a young man, he attended Khalsa College in Jalandhar, India, where he was a member of the National Cadet Corps and displayed prowess in field hockey. His next adventure made him the first person from his village of Sudhar, Punjab India, to move to the United States. At Black Hills State University in Spearfish, SD, he majored in Education. To finance his college expenses he found himself in some colorful jobs – aside from picking peaches, he worked at the Crazy Horse Memorial and appeared in the Black Hills Passion Play.

After graduation, he worked as a public school teacher and librarian in Custer, SD. He then attended South Dakota State University at Brookings, where he earned a master’s in Guidance and Counseling. He married Myrna Johnson in 1964 and welcomed daughter Manjit the following year. The family moved to Michigan in 1967 for opportunities with St. Charles Community Schools.

Paul’s career at Saginaw Valley State University, started in Admissions and he retired as the Director of Scholarships and Financial Aid in 1999. Helping young people was his passion. Paul was a tireless advocate, touching the lives of many students, also serving as soccer coach and foreign student advisor.

Paul was a man of service. He was active in the Rotary Club, as president and hosting exchange students. His love of sport that began in India with field hockey extended to playing tennis, badminton and his favorite - GOLF. He was a founder and later president of the India Association of East Central Michigan, bringing people together to celebrate their heritage.

Having retired, Paul and Myrna moved to Naples, Florida where he enjoyed golf year-round. After the loss of his wife, Paul remained in Florida. He had many life-long friends. In recent years, he and his companion Darlene enjoyed traveling the world, celebrating with family and old friends, sharing his humor and engaging old and new friends alike with his funny stories.

He was preceded in death by his beloved wife Myrna Johnson Gill; his parents Bhagwan Singh Gill and Gurdev Kaur Dhaliwal; and his brother Bikramajit Singh Gill.

Paul is survived by his daughter Manjit Kaur of Royal Oak, MI; his companion Darlene Prashar of
Naples FL; his sister Ajmer “Melo” Grewal; his nieces Jatinderpal “Lisa” Mann, Gilroy, CA; Debra
Israel, Terre Haute, IN; Jane Israel, St. John, USVI; and Nancy Israel, Pt. Townsend, WA; and his
nephews Andy Gurbrinder, Tracy, CA; Tom Johnson, Bunkers, MO; and Jay Johnson, Sturgis, SD.

A gathering will be held at the Fuller Funeral Home, 4735 Tamiami Trail E, Naples, FL 34112, United States, on Tuesday, July 26, 2022 from 2-4 p.m. Proper Sikh funeral rituals were done including Path and Antam Ardaas. Bhog will be performed at his ancestral village Gurudwara. A Celebration of Life will take place on Saturday, September 24, 2022 at the Horizon Center in Saginaw, Michigan.  See https://www.fullereast.com/tributes for more information

In lieu of flowers, contributions to scholarships for student athletes at the college of your choice are most appreciated. To SVSU  https://www.svsu.edu/gill.

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