Gary R. Nadeau

Visitation for Gary R. Nadeau, 67, of Deer Park, will be held Sunday, January 29, 2023, from 12:00 p.m. until the time of the Memorial Service at 4:00 p.m. at the Ahlgrim Family Funeral Home, 415 S. Buesching Road, Lake Zurich.

Gary was born March 7, 1955, in Salem, MA and passed away, surrounded by his family, Tuesday, January 24, 2023, at home in Deer Park, IL.

Gary is survived by his wife, Paula A. Nadeau (Gorczyca); his beloved children, Heather, Holly (Joseph) Phillippi, and Michelle (Jarrett O’Brien) Nadeau; his grandchildren, Francesca (4) and Bode (2); his older siblings, James Nadeau, Barbara (Trudeau) and Gloria (Riley).

Gary joins his parents, Matilda (Dubiel) and George Nadeau, who have gone before him.

Father, husband, Grampy, “life of the party”, mentor, amateur comedian, skier, motorcycle enthusiast, boater, businessman, bottle rocket launcher, champagne connoisseur – Gary was known around the world for his quick-witted humor, his kind heart, his curious mind and his innate ability to make things happen. His list of accolades is long and wide, starting from humble beginnings in Beverly, Massachusetts to building major business deals in the cutting-edge biopharmaceutical industry. Gary met and married his wife, Paula, in 1979 when they both worked at Orion Research. They began building a family and had three girls in Pennsylvania and Massachusetts.

Gary would call himself “just a sales guy”, but he had a very successful 35-year career. His personable and spontaneous nature took him to Illinois with Millipore Corporation where he worked for 20 years in product management and sales and marketing leadership. During that time, he traveled globally through Europe and Asia absorbing culture, history and modern technology. In 2006, he and two business partners, built BioPharm Engineered Systems, that would eventually be one of the exclusive equipment providers for the production of the Moderna Covid-19 Vaccine.

It was the people and the relationships that motivated Gary during his life. Family members, neighbors, coworkers, staff at O&H Bakery in Racine, WI (try the Kringles), the janitor at his hospice center and everyone in between–Gary always took the time to learn about the people he encountered. He created opportunities for connections and for beautiful, shared experiences. One of his favorite lifetime moments was his trip to Europe with his father to retrace his dad’s WWII tour. Gary found a new community with veterans of his dad’s 99th Infantry Division – the “Battle Babies”.

Gary’s passion for the human experience was a lifelong journey.  Gary remains close friends with his childhood friends from Beverly, MA. His obsession for live music took him on numerous trips to see the Allman Brothers, Jimmy Buffett, Little Feat and more. He would often jump into the car and just drive and jam. In 2016, Gary took a motorcycle trip across the US down Route 66. Gary bought a boat which remained docked often so he could enjoy his boat friends. He joined the US Power Squadron to become an advocate and teacher for boating education. He became a Lead Ticket Scanner at Breckenridge to inspire fellow ski bums and excite those first chair riders on a powder day. He became a grandfather and taught his grandchildren to be loud, strong and stubborn, just like him.

Gary leaves behind an unforgettable legacy of bringing out the best in people. He wins.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to these organizations that Gary was passionate about, Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center or the Northern Illinois Food Bank.