Dillard Bond Shipler

Richland, Washington

Dillard B. (Dill) Shipler was born September 28, 1931 in Sylvia, Kansas, to Eston and Louisa Shipler. Dillard passed away on July 2, 2018 in Richland, WA.

 Dill spent the first few years of his life in Kansas with his family. He moved to California with his parents and younger sister, Virginia, and brother, Darrell in 1995 and spent his years of primary school in the Los Angeles area. His father worked in the aircraft industry and moved every couple of years following government airplane contracts. There were intermittent years when the aircraft business took the family to Tulsa, Oklahoma, Dallas, Texas and Aurora, Illinois, but, in 1944, they moved back to Southern California (Escondido) for Dill’s Jr. High years. Because of his father’s health, the family moved to Grants Pass, Oregon at the end of WWII. The family spent two years there before moving to Klamath Falls for business reasons. Just prior to his senior year of High School, Dill met Virginia (Gin) Elizabeth Thurman, his future life-long wife.

Dill’s university education was interrupted by a three year stent in the Army. After volunteering to maintain his engineering bent, he was place in the medical corps where he was assigned as Non-Commissioned Officer in charge of a Dental Clinic U.N. POW Camp #1 in Korea. Prior to going to Korea, Dill and Gin were married December 26, 1950 in Klamath Falls. Upon his return from Korea, Dill continued his education receiving a B.S. in Secondary Education from Southern Oregon College, with a major in mathematics and science and a M.S. in Teaching of Physics from the University of Wisconsin with emphasis in radiation and nuclear physics. Dill also continued his studies in mathematics and nuclear physics at Oregon State University, the University of Oregon, the University of Nevada and many training sessions and seminars. He organized and chaired many special sessions at national meetings; including the first International High-level Radioactive Waste management Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. Gin and Dill did not start a family until his return from Korea. Subsequently, they raised three children: Charles, Jillian and Christopher.

His teaching spanned thirteen years, six years teaching high-school (biology, chemistry, mathematics and physics) and seven years at Oregon Technical Institute (physics, nuclear physics and mathematics).  At ORI he also was Director of the Radiation Laboratory and the Radiation Safety Officer. During these years, Gin completed her B.S. in Social Science at Central Washington State University and her M.S. (with honors) in Library and Information Science at the University of Washington. She started her career in 1977.

Dill started his career with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in 1969 as a NORCUS Fellow while teaching at OTI. He joined PNNL fill-time in 1972. As Senior and Staff Scientist, he conducted research in radiation instrumentation, and kinetics and translocation of radionuclides in people, critters, and the environment. He was instrumental in the development and implementation of the Hanford Multi-Purpose Radiation Dosimeter, a first if its kind. He contributed to and managed national projects in radiation protection, safety analysis, systems analysis and environmental impact assessments for many planned and operating facilities related to nuclear fuel cycle. This variety of work with Battelle included assignments in Richland, Washington and Columbus, Ohio over a twenty-five year period and four separate employments. His two most comprehensive and impactful projects were the National High-Level Nuclear Waste Management Project and the Hanford Environmental Dose Reconstruction Project. At Battelle’s Office of Nuclear Waste Isolation in Columbus, he was responsible for the development of the Preliminary Information Report which provided the information for development of a safety analysis report as part of a license application for an underground repository for high-level radioactive waste. His technical and management contributions on these many projects resulted in fifteen Outstanding Performance Awards.

Dill’s over-all career also included project management for several Architect-Engineering firms and couple of consulting firms including Science Applications International Corporation, Advanced Sciences, Incorporated, NUS Corporation, Parsons Corporation, and Radiation Management Corporation; all in the nuclear business.  

Dill was active in his profession becoming Certified by the America Board of Health Physics and being active in the Health Physics Society, the American Nuclear Society, the American Academy of Health Physics, the Society for Risk Analysis and the National Association of Environmental Professionals. He also was published in Who’s Who in the West and Outstanding Educators in America, and a member of Theta Delta Phi honorary fraternity. For the America Nuclear Society, he was Chairman of the Southwest Ohio Section, Chairman of the Fuel Cycle and Waste Management Division and Treasurer of the Decontamination and Decommissioning Division.

He has published over 100 technical reports and articles and presented many technical papers in the United States and abroad.

Dill spent over thirty years in the Boy Scout Program fulfilling all roles from Cub Scout to Eagle Scout (with Silver Palm), to Professional Field Executive. Gin and Dill’s three children were all brought up in the program. Hiking, camping, fishing, and hunting have always been an important part of the family and provided a strong basis for family enjoyment and unity. As the family grew, traveling and site seeing throughout the US and into Canada and Mexico, and across the pond to Europe, was added to the portfolio. The family has owned seven travel trailers. When beds became more attractive than rocks, time-sharing was added to the menu.

Dill and Gin were sweethearts from their meeting in 1948 until his death. Even for schooling and changing work assignments and locations, they were seldom apart and never for very long. Gin retired from her librarian position with OCLC, Inc., in 1983 so that she could travel with Dill on his work and be with him more at home. It was a great marriage and companionship. 

Dill was preceded in death by his mother, Louisa (1985) and his father, Eston (1979). He is survived by his loving wife of over 65 years, Gin; his brother, Darrell of Indianapolis, IN and Michael of Bay Minette, AL; his sister, Virginia Hapeman of Sumner, WA; his children, Charles, Jillian and Christopher and their spouses/partners, Theresa, Rebekah, and Tammy. Dill’s grandchildren include, Sara, Jennifer, Brandon, Wendi, Nancy, Bonnie, Susan, Lucas, and Sean. His great-grandchildren include, Lauren, Lanaya, Sophia, Macin, Kale, Auna, Michael, Jayson, Autumn, Justin, Aiden, Abigale, and Sierrra. His nephews are Eric and Bradley Degerman.