Cover photo for Margaret Gerdes's Obituary
Margaret Gerdes Profile Photo
1922 Margaret 2019

Margaret Gerdes

October 18, 1922 — July 6, 2019

Margaret Elizabeth Gerdes, 96, of Joliet, passed away at 8:55 a.m., Saturday, July 6, 2019 at Sunny Hill Nursing Home of Will County under the dedicated care of both Sunny Hill and Joliet Area Community Hospice.

Margaret was born in a farmhouse in Dana, IL, on October 18, 1922. She resided in Minonk, IL and since 2004, Joliet, IL. Margaret and her late husband Larry were married in 1942 for 64 happy years until Larry's death in 2006. She was very proud of managing the accounting at Minonk Equipment Sales for many years along with raising her son Dave.

Margaret and Larry loved their hobby of refinishing wood and building furniture together. Many people in the Minonk area still enjoy pieces of their woodcraft. Margaret also enjoyed spending time in the summer with her three granddaughters when they were young, horseback riding, swimming, going to the park and many other activities including teaching them how to drive her El Camino (even though they were about ten years old). Margaret never missed a sporting event that her son Dave participated in. Margaret and Larry could not have been prouder of their son becoming Joliet's Police Chief.

She was preceded in death by her husband Larry, her father Clarence Dunham, mother Esther Dunham, brothers Glen, Orville, and Howard (Bernadine) Dunham.

Survivors include one son, Dave (Peggy) Gerdes, Joliet; three granddaughters Stacey (Brian) Hertzmann, Stephanie (Jerry) Green, and Lindsay (Tim) Anderson; six great grandchildren Nina, Tessa, Grant, Brynn, Kyan, Ryker and one step great grandson Zach as well as several nieces and nephews and sister-in-law Aline Finnell.

A memorial Mass will be held at 11 a.m., Friday, July 12, 2019 at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Minonk, IL. Franciscan Friars will officiate. Visitation will be one hour prior to services at the church from 10 to 11 a.m. Burial of her cremains will be in St. Patrick's Catholic Church Cemetery following the memorial Mass. Ruestman-Harris Funeral Home in Minonk is assisting the family with arrangements.

A special thanks to the caregivers in Third Avenue at Sunny Hill Nursing Home, especially Mattie, Jenifer and Wendy.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Joliet Area Community Hospice or Sunny Hill Foundation.

Memorial Visitation

JUL 12. 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM (CDT)

St. Patrick Church
420 E. 6th Street
Minonk, IL 61760

Memorial Mass

JUL 12. 11:00 AM (CDT)

St. Patrick Church
420 E. 6th Street
Minonk, IL 61760

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Margaret Elizabeth Gerdes, please visit our floral store.

To send flowers to the family in memory of Margaret Gerdes, please visit our flower store.

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