Gerardo D. Tan

Born in the Philippines to Chinese parents on January 15, 1928, Gerry was the son of the late Tan Ting Lik and Liao Sun. Gerry’s youth on the island of Jolo (Sulu) was over-shadowed by the Japanese occupation of the Philippines. Though underage, Gerry left home late in the war to join a recognized guerilla operation of the US 8th Army (D Company, 1st Battalion, 2nd Sulu Infantry Regiment).

Mr. Tan graduated from the University of the Philippines with a degree in Civil Engineering in 1954. He practiced his profession on the island of Jolo, (Sulu) Philippines, for about 12 years. He played a major role in constructing the Jolo Catholic Cathedral and several school buildings for the Notre Dame College of Jolo.

After returning to Jolo, Gerry married his high-school sweetheart, Martina Bueno, in 1958. They welcomed their first son, Jeremiah, in 1958, followed by Marcelino in 1961. In the late 1960s, Martina developed heart problems and was referred for treatment to the United States. Gerry, Martina (now a pediatrician), and their two sons immigrated to the United States in 1968 and settled in Wheaton, Maryland. Martina passed in 1982 after the family had settled in Bowie, Maryland.

Gerry started his career in the US working for the Blake Construction Company, Washington, D.C., for a year and later joined the Deleuw Cather Company as a general engineering consultant for the Washington Metropolitan Subway for 12 years. Mr. Tan subsequently was employed for many years by the U.S. Veterans Administration in Washington, D.C., and subsequently the U.S. Department of State in Rosslyn, Virginia, where he worked until retiring from the Federal Government. At the Department of State he was a construction analyst for new embassies and the remodeling of existing ones. Mr. Tan traveled to China, Cuba, Poland, Columbia, and other countries in this position.

Gerry married Tineke Bodde Tan in 1991 and moved to Kent Island, MD. He was an active member of the Island Alliance Church and is remembered for his generosity to individuals and families in the community. He also volunteered at the Chesapeake Heritage & Visitors Center. Starting in 2008, as Tineke developed Parkinson’s disease and accompanying dementia, Gerry was a steadfast and dedicated husband, supporting her in countless ways.

Mr. Tan is survived by his second wife, Tineke Bodde Tan, whom he married in 1991, his two sons (Jeremiah and Marcelino), two stepsons (Kenneth & Bruce Haase), four grandchildren (Rachel, Jeremy, Leah, and Ben-Ben), and one great-grandson (Austin).