Gustave C. Gilg

Gustave Gus C. Gilg, 84 of Rockford passed away Tuesday, December 8, 2009 in OSF St. Anthony Medical Center. Born May 19, 1925 in Haiti, the son of Gustave and Hilda (Carlstroem) Gilg. Gus came to America in 1945 and married Gertrude Trudy Haessig on November 19, 1949 in New York, NY before moving to Rockford in 1972 from Puerto Rico where he had a business for 10 years. He went into industrial sales until 1975. Gus worked in different fields related to Social Services such as the Epilepsy Association, St. Elizabeth Community Center, and DCFS. He graduated from Georgetown University in Washington D.C. and had a Masters in Education from Northern Illinois University. He retired as a Bilingual Counselor (French and Spanish) from the Illinois Department of Rehabilitation Services in 1992. Gus was very active with the Hispanic community through the Catholic Church Outreach Program, helping refugees with ESL, was a member of the Advisory Council for the Black Catholic Ministry, been a Knight of Columbus since 1966, helped students at the Kishwaukee Elementary School as a Tutor, was a Sacristan and Eucharistic Minister and a member of Holy Family Catholic Church.

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Gus is survived by his children Gustave Christian Chris (Felicia M.) Gilg, Ronald Charles Ron (Jo Marie) Gilg, Rosemarie Trudy Rosie (Tom) Gilg-Winquist and Norman Bernard Norm (Tammie) Gilg. Grandchildren Matthew, Jules, Travis, Maggie, Katie and great-grandson Jared. Sisters Evelyn Sparacino, Louise Gilg and Andra(c)e Soeur Marie Etienne du Christ. Nephews Vinton, Robert and Michael Zwahlen. Predeceased by parents and sister Florence Zwahlen. Special thanks to Richard Ambrose, Pete Roche and the nursing staff at OSF St. Anthony Medical Center.

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Funeral Mass will be Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. in Holy Family Catholic Church with Msgr. Thomas E. Bales officiating. Visitation will be from 10:00 a.m. Wednesday until time of Mass in the church. Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers memorials can be made to the Food for the Poor, Inc., www.foodforthepoor.org/nickel. To express condolences to the family online please visit www.fitzgeraldfh.com.