William Mills Jr. MD Oct. 5, 1931 ~ March 3, 2011 Resident of Danville, CA Passed away unexpectedly at home. Born and raised in Oakland, CA, Bill graduated from Oakland High School, and Stanford University. He then attended Stanford Medical School Class of 1957, entered his residency at Stanford and became Chief Resident from 1962-63. He entered the US Army as a Captain and became Chief of the Burn Study Branch Research Unit in San Antonio, TX until returning to Pill Hill in Oakland in 1965 to join his father in his general surgical practice. While working at Samuel Merritt Hospital, Bill was able to lend his talents teaching surgery at UCSF as well as Highland General Hospital in Oakland. In 1988 he joined the newly formed Trauma team at Eden Hospital in Castro Valley. Bill later became Trauma Director in 1991. Bill was most fulfilled in this phase of his career. He saved many lives and was dedicated to making the trauma center one of the best in the US. He retired from practice in 2005 but missed the joy of his lifelong love of surgical patient care. Bill was an avid jazz enthusiast and accomplished pianist, having played in the Oakland Symphony as a young man. He played football at Stanford and was in the 1952 Rose Bowl. He was passionate about Stanford Football and the Oakland Raiders his entire life. Bill was preceded in death by his parents William Mills Sr, MD and Ethel Perkins Mills. He leaves behind his beloved wife of 25 years, Nancy, his children William (Kristie) of Bozeman MT, Jennifer of Sacramento, Gavin currently in the US Navy, Spencer of Oakland, and Wesley. Also his brother-in-law, David Burgess (Fifi); sisters, Jane Sheldon, and Jan Hamilton. Bill was a remarkable man who was deeply loved and greatly respected. His bigger than life presence will be enormously missed. All are invited to attend a celebration of his life Saturday, April 2, 2011 at 12:30pm at San Ramon Valley United Methodist Church, 902 Danville Blvd., Alamo with a lunch reception immediately following at Wesley Center. In lieu of flowers, donations are requested in Bill's memory to the Residency Program of Stanford University Medical School, Stanford Office of Gift Processing, PO Box 20466, Stanford, CA 94309-0466.