Dr. Minnie Mathilda “Tillie” Gnewuch died Jan 20, 2023 at the age of 88. She was born Nov 25, 1934.
Highly regarded as a reading specialist, Dr. Gnewuch taught thousands of children how to read and hundreds of teachers to teach reading. She graduated from Harris Teachers College where she was crowned the May Day Fete Queen in 1956. While working and raising her five children, she completed her formal training at Oklahoma State University. Her career as an educator spanned four decades in numerous public and private schools, including Concordia Teachers College Seward, Neb.; St. John Lutheran School in Forest Park; and Concordia University, Chicago. She loved Jesus and wanted everyone to live in peace.
Preceded in death by her husband of 48 years, Rev. Dr. Donald Gnewuch; parents Theodore and Eva Johnson Weeke; and sister Jean Gibson. Survived by her siblings Betty Henderson and William (Carol) Weeke; children, Katherine (Gregory) Roberson, Rebecca Boyer, Deborah (Richard) Gher, Rev. Carl (Cynthia) Gnewuch and Sarah (Edward) Ruberry; grandchildren, Courtney, Theodore (Tammy), Joseph (Jessica), Nicole, John, Maria, Jonathan (Paulina), Lauren (Matthew), Sarah (Trevor), Rachael, Ava, Stephanie, Mark, Kyle, Michael and Brian (Kristina); and great-grandchildren, Ava, Edgar, William, Dakota, Lily, Aurora, Whisper, Nathan, Amelia, Matthew, Mackenzie, Adeline, Anastasia, and Violet.
A Visitation will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 27 at Elmhurst Community Funeral Home – The Ahlgrim Chapel, 567 South Spring Road, Elmhurst. Funeral services are pending for Saturday Jan. 28, visit https://www.elmhurstfh.com/ or call 630-834-3515 for more information. Interment at Concordia Cemetery, 7900 Madison St, Forest Park. Memorials appreciated for Concordia University, 7400 Augusta, River Forest, IL 60305, c/o the Gnewuch Family Endowment Fund or the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League.
