Charles Herbert "Bert" Still
Charles Herbert "Bert" Still of Pleasanton died Sept. 24. He was 54.
Still was born in Boston, Massachusetts, to Dr. Charles N. Still, M.D. and the late Mrs. Dorothy V. Still, on Sept. 26, 1963. He grew up in Columbia, South Carolina, attending Heathwood Hall Episcopal School and Hammond Academy, where he was Salutatorian of the Class of 1981. A lifelong Gamecock, Still earned his undergraduate degree with honors from South Carolina College (1984) and advanced degrees (Ph.D., 1990) at the University of South Carolina, where he taught math classes and worked in the Computer Services Division as a graduate student. He was a member of Delta Upsilon fraternity. Upon completion of his doctoral degree, he took a post-doc at the University of California, Berkeley, which led him to make a permanent move to the west coast.
Still worked as a computational physicist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) for more than 20 years. As deputy director in Applications Development, he was the Leader of Application Strategy for Livermore Computing, responsible for developing Livermore Computing's strategy for ensuring that LLNL applications can effectively use sited/planned LLNL high-performance computing capabilities as well as those at other NNSA sites. Previously at LLNL, Still was the Advanced Simulation and Computing (ASC) Codes group leader, and the deputy project leader for Advanced Architecture Software Development. His areas of expertise included algorithms, parallel computing, computing in mathematics, applied mathematics, natural science, engineering and medicine, computational physics, plasma physics, and modeling and simulation.
In addition to having a gifted mind for the sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics, Still was a talented guitar player and golfer, sports car aficionado, member of the Porsche Club, avid Gamecock sports enthusiast, voracious science fiction reader and huge J.R.R. Tolkien fan. Music was a very meaningful part of his well-balanced life. He sang in choirs at school and church as a young boy. He enjoyed attending rock concerts in college and saw many great bands in the 1980s-90s. Likewise, he played lead guitar and sang with his bandmates, playing gigs at local venues in South Carolina and California.
He traveled extensively, visiting more than a dozen states in the U.S., including Hawaii, as well as taking international trips to Canada, England and Israel. He enjoyed meeting people, sharing ideas, food, music interests and math theorems. His sense of humor and bright outlook inspired many, and he was a loving and generous man, a great guy who was simply a delight to be around. His Christian faith sustained him throughout his life. He became a member of First Baptist Church, Columbia, as a youth following a profession of faith and believer's baptism. He attended Cornerstone Fellowship in Livermore, California.
Diagnosed with cystic fibrosis as an infant, he did not let the disease cast a shadow of fear over him, but lived his life fully. Being born in Boston, Massachusetts, Bert was blessed to have Dr. Harry Shwachman, an authority on cystic fibrosis, Children's Hospital of Boston, as his personal physician. The family made annual visits to Boston for his checkups until Dr. Shwachman's retirement, and he continued to thrive under the care of Dr. Charles James, founder of Sandhills Pediatrics in Columbia, South Carolina.
As a youth, he played basketball and baseball on local teams in Columbia, and later excelled on the golf team in high school at Hammond. He found that regular physical activity was beneficial to his health, and he just really enjoyed it, too.
Still is survived by his wife of 18 years, Kimberley Ann Still; his step-son, Brandon M. Dybdal; and step-daughter, Chelsea M. Dybdal; and step-grandsons, Antonio Moran and Maddox Moran, all of Pleasanton, California; as well as his brother-in-law, David Zulaica of Placerville, California. He is also survived by his father, Dr. Charles N. Still, M.D., of Lexington, South Carolina; his brother, Dr. Carl N. Still, Ph.D. (Dr. Sarah M. Powrie, Ph.D.) of Saskatoon, SK, Canada; and his sister, Mrs. Sara S. "Sallee" Weston (Mark A. Weston) and nieces, Madelyn R. Weston, Rebecca L. Weston and Sara M. Weston, of Columbia, SC, and Haley Zulaica of California.
He is predeceased by his infant brother, Charles N. "Neal" Still, Jr., and his mother, Dorothy V. Still. The service for Still will be held at 3 p.m. Friday, Sept. 28 at the chapel of Thompson Funeral Home at Greenlawn Memorial Park, 845 Leesburg Rd, Columbia, with The Rev. Richard Humphries officiating. Visitation will precede the service from 2-3 p.m. Still will be interred in Greenlawn Mausoleum. The family wishes to thank the medical team and staff at Kaiser Permanente Hospital, Oakland, California, for their excellent care. All of his caregivers and those who have given him love and support throughout his life are cherished by the family.
In lieu of flowers, memorials made by made to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Family and friends may sign the online guest book.
