1948
The Paul and Helen Gilles Family
Kansas natives who met each other as undergraduates at KU, Paul W. and Helen M. Gilles settled in Lawrence in 1948, returning after a few years in California, where Helen, a graduate of the KU Medical School, did her residency at Berkeley Children’s Hospital and Paul earned his Ph.D. in chemistry at the University of California, Berkeley while serving on the Manhattan Project.
A leader in research in high-temperature thermodynamics, Paul taught in the chemistry department for 43 years and was, in 1963, one of the first four University Distinguished Professors. Helen had a pediatric practice in Lawrence for 35 years and, following her retirement from private practice, worked for the Indian Health Service at Haskell University and at Baker University Health Clinic.
While undergraduates, Paul and Helen were involved in the efforts to integrate KU social activities. As young parents, they were active in the Lawrence Community Nursery School and were later instrumental in founding the Lawrence Unitarian Fellowship. Paul, always grateful for the educational opportunity provided him as a Summerfield Scholar, served the University community in many ways. Helen was chairman of the Unitarian Fellowship, a member of the Lawrence School Board, and an established presence on the boards of many community organizations.
Step Sponsored By: Helen Gilles, MD