Gus was born May 18, 1933, to Eric and Sophronia Mills Tillberg in Wenatchee and raised at Ardenvoir, Washington, and Entiat until the age of 10, when the family moved to Twisp on March 3, 1943.
Gus attended Twisp Elementary School and graduated from Twisp High School in 1953.
He joined the Army in July 1953, serving until July 1956. He was discharged and went into the reserves. While in high school, he worked part-time at the Mobile station in Twisp. After the service, he worked part-time at the Wagner Mill in Twisp and worked part-time at the Mobile station in Twisp. Gus attended Kinsman Business University in Spokane in 1959 and 1960, taking accounting.
Gus reenlisted in the Army in January 1961 and retired on Nov. 1, 1979, with 22.5 years active duty and 4.5 years in the reserves, for a total of 27 years with tours of duty in Okinawa, Korea and Germany, with two tours in Vietnam and with some time in the Philippines. Gus also had tours of duty in California, Colorado, Michigan, South Carolina, Utah and New Mexico. Some of the awards he received: Joint Service Commendation; National Defense Service Medal; Vietnam Service Cross of Gallantry with Palm; Good Conduct medal (sixth award); four overseas bars.
Gus was a Boy Scout as a youth and an adult volunteer for the Boy Scouts of America for over 47 years. Gus held many jobs in the Boy Scout program. Some of them were troop committee, scoutmaster, unit commissioner, district commissioner for 10 years, and other district positions and positions on the council.
Gus worked as a paraprofessional for seven years, covering all of Okanogan County and half of Ferry County. Gus was a Vigil Honor member of The Order of The Arrow. Gus received the Silver Beaver Award, the highest award the council can present to a volunteer. Gus worked on the staff at the Boy Scout Camp on Bonaparte Lake for 32 years as shooting sport director, camp commission, camp director and any other job that needed to be done. Gus was one of the Friends of Bonaparte who did maintenance at the scout camp.
Gus was preceded in death by his parents and sister Bertha Racus.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Aero Methow Rescue Service, the Twisp American Legion Post 143, or the Boy Scouts of America Grand Columbia, to be used at Camp Bonaparte. A graveside service will be held on Saturday, May 9, at 1 p.m. at the Beaver Creek Cemetery with a reception at the Methow Valley Senior Center in Twisp following.
