Timothy W. Gerdes

Timothy Walter Gerdes (Tim) passed away peacefully on December 31, 2025 at age 65. Born on May 2, 1960 in Berwyn, IL, Tim’s most recent residence was in Brookfield, IL. Tim is survived by his mother, Mary Lou Sandvik, his sister, Heather Martin, his sister, Becky Ejupi, and his brother, Neal Gerdes. Tim’s Dad, Donald Gerdes, passed away in 2011.

Born with a mental handicap and an emotional disturbance, as a child, Tim attended special needs classes in both Skokie and Park Ridge, IL. As an adult, he lived in various UCP Seguin assisted living group homes.

Despite his handicaps, Tim’s memory was remarkable. He was able to memorize and repeat entire movie and TV show dialogs, and although he couldn’t drive, he would often remember the exact route taken to a destination while calling out the driver’s “error” on the return trip, should they stray from their original path.

Tim was a big fan of construction equipment, trains, Doritos, Portillo’s, and all things the color green. He had a great sense of humor, especially when talking with his dad, and he was known to critique any driver’s speed, give his opinion on the height of uneven stairs and hold his hand out to stop drivers in a 3-way intersection. He enjoyed singing as well. One Christmas years ago, while his family was eating dinner, Tim stood next to the table and sang a beautiful, impromptu version of “Silent Night” in a pitch perfect falsetto voice, reminding us all of the true meaning of the holiday.

We’re grateful to the Seguin staff for the care, support and love they provided to Tim for so many years and would encourage donations be made to UCPSeguin at Donate Now | UCP Seguin, in lieu of flowers or gifts.