Obituary for Robert Gill Dr.
Dr. Robert W. Gill of Reading, died surrounded by his loving family in the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania’s Medical Intensive Care Unit after a brief battle with lung cancer. His disease was largely non-symptomatic until discovered late and took him quickly with minimal suffering.
Dr. Gill was born and raised in Johnson City, New York and was the son of the late Robert Gill of Port St. Lucie and the late Jean Finney of Wyomissing. He is the husband of Dr. Susan E. Kraus and the father of Paige Gill Lamparella, wife of Michael Lamparella III, of Wyomissing. He is also the former husband of Judith Gill who are both the loving grandparents of Luciana and Giada Lamparella. He also leaves his maternal cousins, Lois Smith, John and Patrick Taugher, Elizabeth Zolltrecht and their children, all of Johnson City, New York.
Dr. Gill also gained several in-law siblings which included a sister and four brothers and their partners by marriage. They are Catherine Kraus Barrett and Robert Barrett of Orefield, Jonathan and Jill Quinn Kraus of Radnor, Jeffrey and Regina Kraus of Gilbertsville and Dr. Robert Kraus and wife Roxanne of Emmaus. In addition, he greatly enjoyed their children who were his nine nieces and nephews and are Christian Barrett, Jonathan, David, Giselle, Ryan, Elizabeth, Jacob and Abigail Kraus as well as Katie Quinn.
Upon receiving his undergraduate degree from SUNY Brockport, he began his career teaching mentally- and intellectually-disabled children in Upstate New York. He went on to attain a master’s degree at SUNY Cortland after which he worked as a psychotherapist at various agencies in the Philadelphia and Reading area. He also attained a full-time faculty position in the psychology department at the newly-created Reading Area Community College. He next returned to graduate school to attain his doctorate at Temple University, interning as a clinician at Elmira New York Psychiatric Center, Hahnemann Hospital and Eastern Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute. He also taught at various colleges in Pennsylvania and New York. Following the completion of his doctoral degree, he returned to Reading Area Community College where he served as the Dean of Continuing Education.
Dr. Gill went on to utilize his clinical skills serving forensically-identified victims and offenders of sexual abuse crimes. He soon became the founder and co-owner of Pennsylvania Forensic Associates (formerly Reading Specialists) as well as “SafeGuards” Specialized Foster Care along with his partner and wife, Dr. Susan Kraus, where they practiced for over thirty years. The company eventually maintained offices in six counties and served clients from thirty counties across south and northeastern Pennsylvania. Dr. Gill was a revered expert witness, who was often called upon to testify in criminal cases. He also mentored many therapists and doctoral candidates who interned in the practice. In addition, he was either a host or speaker at many conferences related to his field. Dr. Gill served on various boards such as The SUNY Brockport Foundation and various civic and political committees.
Throughout his life, he also enjoyed various activities including playing drums in jazz bands, playing handball and competing in handball tournaments, coaching his daughter’s soccer team, sailing the Chesapeake and the Caribbean in his sailboat, scuba diving, skiing, and travelling domestically and internationally to the many different locales that he dreamed of as a child. He was an avid fine wine collector which he loved sharing with his family and friends. He greatly cherished spending time with his granddaughters, whether it be by taking them on trips or going to their various sporting events. He and a circle of his closest buddies met for Monday Night Football for over thirty years, where he would root for the Eagles, unless his Giants were playing. All who knew him understood that he was never short on jokes and always kept his humor which he incorporated in his treatment of his family, friends, employees, colleagues and even clients and which he maintained all the way to his final days in the hospital.
The Family will be hosting a private celebration of his life, the date to be at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Penn’s Oncology Research Unit, c/o Christian Hyde, Senior Associate Director of Development, 3535 Market St. Suite 750, Phila., PA 19104 with checks made out to: Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania, and indicate “Thoracic Oncology Research, in memory of Dr. Robert Gill.
Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home, Inc., West Reading, PA 19611 is in charge of the arrangements. Condolences may be expressed at www.kuhnfuneral homes.com.
Dr. Gill was born and raised in Johnson City, New York and was the son of the late Robert Gill of Port St. Lucie and the late Jean Finney of Wyomissing. He is the husband of Dr. Susan E. Kraus and the father of Paige Gill Lamparella, wife of Michael Lamparella III, of Wyomissing. He is also the former husband of Judith Gill who are both the loving grandparents of Luciana and Giada Lamparella. He also leaves his maternal cousins, Lois Smith, John and Patrick Taugher, Elizabeth Zolltrecht and their children, all of Johnson City, New York.
Dr. Gill also gained several in-law siblings which included a sister and four brothers and their partners by marriage. They are Catherine Kraus Barrett and Robert Barrett of Orefield, Jonathan and Jill Quinn Kraus of Radnor, Jeffrey and Regina Kraus of Gilbertsville and Dr. Robert Kraus and wife Roxanne of Emmaus. In addition, he greatly enjoyed their children who were his nine nieces and nephews and are Christian Barrett, Jonathan, David, Giselle, Ryan, Elizabeth, Jacob and Abigail Kraus as well as Katie Quinn.
Upon receiving his undergraduate degree from SUNY Brockport, he began his career teaching mentally- and intellectually-disabled children in Upstate New York. He went on to attain a master’s degree at SUNY Cortland after which he worked as a psychotherapist at various agencies in the Philadelphia and Reading area. He also attained a full-time faculty position in the psychology department at the newly-created Reading Area Community College. He next returned to graduate school to attain his doctorate at Temple University, interning as a clinician at Elmira New York Psychiatric Center, Hahnemann Hospital and Eastern Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute. He also taught at various colleges in Pennsylvania and New York. Following the completion of his doctoral degree, he returned to Reading Area Community College where he served as the Dean of Continuing Education.
Dr. Gill went on to utilize his clinical skills serving forensically-identified victims and offenders of sexual abuse crimes. He soon became the founder and co-owner of Pennsylvania Forensic Associates (formerly Reading Specialists) as well as “SafeGuards” Specialized Foster Care along with his partner and wife, Dr. Susan Kraus, where they practiced for over thirty years. The company eventually maintained offices in six counties and served clients from thirty counties across south and northeastern Pennsylvania. Dr. Gill was a revered expert witness, who was often called upon to testify in criminal cases. He also mentored many therapists and doctoral candidates who interned in the practice. In addition, he was either a host or speaker at many conferences related to his field. Dr. Gill served on various boards such as The SUNY Brockport Foundation and various civic and political committees.
Throughout his life, he also enjoyed various activities including playing drums in jazz bands, playing handball and competing in handball tournaments, coaching his daughter’s soccer team, sailing the Chesapeake and the Caribbean in his sailboat, scuba diving, skiing, and travelling domestically and internationally to the many different locales that he dreamed of as a child. He was an avid fine wine collector which he loved sharing with his family and friends. He greatly cherished spending time with his granddaughters, whether it be by taking them on trips or going to their various sporting events. He and a circle of his closest buddies met for Monday Night Football for over thirty years, where he would root for the Eagles, unless his Giants were playing. All who knew him understood that he was never short on jokes and always kept his humor which he incorporated in his treatment of his family, friends, employees, colleagues and even clients and which he maintained all the way to his final days in the hospital.
The Family will be hosting a private celebration of his life, the date to be at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Penn’s Oncology Research Unit, c/o Christian Hyde, Senior Associate Director of Development, 3535 Market St. Suite 750, Phila., PA 19104 with checks made out to: Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania, and indicate “Thoracic Oncology Research, in memory of Dr. Robert Gill.
Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home, Inc., West Reading, PA 19611 is in charge of the arrangements. Condolences may be expressed at www.kuhnfuneral homes.com.