David Brown Hills, Jr.

David Brown Hills, Jr., passed away peacefully on August 2, 2026. He was 77. Born on October 18, 1948, in Bowling Green, Kentucky, David grew up in Birmingham, Alabama, where he developed an early interest in electronics.

David proudly served his country in the United States Air Force as an electronic warfare specialist during the Vietnam era, including service in Thailand and Korea.

He graduated from Auburn University with a BS in Electrical Engineering. While at Auburn, he served as president of Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity.

After graduating from Auburn, David began his engineering career with Texas Instruments in its Defense Systems & Equipment Group, where he worked on the Paveway laser-guided weapons program. He later joined Sunrise Systems, a Xerox spin-off, where he was involved in developing one of the first laptop computers.

As a consulting engineer, David worked across an unusually broad range of technologies. His work included developing blood-testing equipment for Abbott Laboratories, resulting in numerous patents; working on complex telecommunications systems for several companies; and designing and developing EEG equipment to measure electrical activity in the brain.

David and Mellanie True Hills were married for almost 54 years, sharing a life built around family, partnership, and mutual devotion. He was deeply proud of their son, Jason Thomas Hills, and daughter-in-law, Jessica Jean Hills, and delighted in spending time doing science and cooking with his grandchildren, Eleanor Violet Hills and Marcus Sky Hills.

Family was at the center of David’s life. He was preceded in death by his father, David Brown Hills, Sr. He is survived by his mother, Joyce Hills, and his brothers, Paul Richard Hills (Terri) and Joseph B. Hills (Karen), with whom he shared a special bond.

David was devoted to his family, deeply engaged by the problems he set out to solve, and generous with both his knowledge and his time. His family will remember his intelligence, integrity, quiet strength, and steadfast love.

In Lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in David’s name to StopAfib.org at https://igfn.us/form/Pe6O1g