Former Glen Ellyn trustee George Gilkerson has died

George N. Gilkerson Jr. was a former federal prosecutor who served on Glen Ellyn’s Village Board in the 1990s and later was a trustee for the DuPage Foundation.

“He was an excellent lawyer,” said former U.S. District Judge James Holderman, who worked with Gilkerson in the U.S. attorney’s office. “He had a wry sense of humor, but he approached each case he prosecuted in a thoughtful, deliberate and fair manner.”

Gilkerson, 78, died of natural causes on Dec. 10 at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, said his wife of 42 years, Cheryl. He had divided his time between Glen Ellyn and The Villages, Florida.

Born in Tucson, Arizona, to a military family, Gilkerson grew up in downstate Mattoon and received a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1967.

After picking up a law degree from the U. of I. in 1970, Gilkerson briefly went into private practice and then from 1972 until 1978 was an assistant U.S. attorney in Chicago, initially working for U.S. Attorney James R. Thompson, who later became governor.

In 1972, Gilkerson took part in a case led to the indictments of 81 election judges and precinct captains in Chicago for forging votes in the March 1972 primary election. He and fellow Assistant U.S. Attorney Ty Fahner concluded that the fraud cases were so prevalent that they could have indicted more than 1,000 individuals if they had enough time and staff. The fraud cases were first exposed in a Tribune investigation that won the Pulitzer Prize.

Gilkerson also led the prosecution of former Lake County Sheriff Orville “Pat” Clavey, who was convicted of income tax fraud and perjury, and of former Countryside Mayor Michael Coduto, who was convicted of conspiring to extort money from building contractors. Both Clavey and Coduto were sentenced to prison for their crimes.

Gilkerson received the U.S. Department of Justice’s special commendation for outstanding service in 1978.

“Everyone loved George,” said Fahner, a former Illinois attorney general. “I don’t want to make analogies that don’t fit, but he was like a tracking dog that got his nose into something. He was very direct and pointed, and he had a real laid-back way about him.”

Gilkerson returned to private law practice in 1978, joining the law firm that later was known as Rooks, Pitts and Poust and then as Dykema Gossett. A certified public accountant, he specialized in working with banks and closely held businesses, advising on complex estate planning and providing legal advice regarding commercial real estate finance and ownership and management transitions.

Gilkerson moved to Glen Ellyn in 1979 and began involving himself in community service. He ran unsuccessfully for Glen Ellyn village president in 1985 and served on the village’s Plan Commission.

In 1990, Gilkerson was appointed to be a village trustee, filling a vacancy created when another trustee resigned. The following year, he won a full term on the Village Board. During his time as a trustee, Gilkerson focused on financial stewardship and the village’s infrastructure.

“George was dedicated to the village. He reviewed every issue brought before the board and considered the ramifications as they might affect all segments of the community,” said former Glen Ellyn Village President John W. Demling. “He spent countless hours on service to the village.”

After leaving the board, Gilkerson was appointed in 1998 by a DuPage County circuit judge to be receiver of the abandoned Maryknoll Seminary property on the village’s east side, which had been plagued by vandalism. Gilkerson oversaw security for the property until the Glen Ellyn Park District assembled the funding to acquire the 25-acre property in 1999 for $5.3 million. The district in 2000 demolished the grand Georgian-style facility and created a park on the site.

In 1998, Gilkerson joined the board of the DuPage Community Foundation — now known as the DuPage Foundation — which is a grantmaking organization that attempts to raise the quality of life in DuPage by connecting donors to area needs. He chaired the foundation’s board from 2001 until 2004 and remained on the board until 2007.

“George was a tireless proponent of his community, the DuPage Foundation and the arts,” said DuPage Foundation President and CEO Mike Sitrick. “Throughout the years, he served in a number of civic leadership roles and was instrumental in helping the foundation navigate through a pivotal period of growth and change.”

Barb Szczepaniak, the foundation’s vice president for programs, recalled working with Gilkerson “to brainstorm, implement and support the many ideas for which he had a vision.”

“His passion was contagious, and his drive was inspiring,” she said. “The programs he helped create and launch will continue having an impact in myriad ways for many people in our community for generations to come.”

Afternoon Briefing

Weekdays

Chicago Tribune editors’ top story picks, delivered to your inbox each afternoon.

Gilkerson collected M&M candy memorabilia, with an emphasis on candy dispensers and “toppers,” which are the small smiley-faced figurines used to seal the tops of tubes of M&Ms. In a 2007 interview with the Tribune, he estimated that he had collected more than 1,000 pieces — about a third of which he displayed at one time in his law firm office — and he added that populating his office with such items helped to put his clients at ease.

“A lot of people who come to see an attorney aren’t always happy,” Gilkerson told the Tribune. “But when people come in here, we spend a few minutes talking about this collection, and it makes folks relax. Then they can tell me what their problems are.”

After retiring from his law practice in 2013, Gilkerson took up bicycling and rode in three RAGBRAI bicycle tours across the entire length of Iowa. A member of bike clubs both in DuPage County and in Florida, Gilkerson rode more than 4,000 miles in 2023.

In addition to his wife, Gilkerson is survived by two daughters, Erin Pennington and Rachel; a son, Paul; a brother, Joseph; a sister, Linda; five grandchildren; and two step-grandchildren.

Services were held.

Bob Goldsborough is a freelance reporter.

To purchase a death notice, visit https://placeanad.chicagotribune.com/death-notices. To suggest a staff-written obituary on a person of local interest, email [email protected].