Do you have a story, thought, picture or other special remembrance of Tim that you would like to share? Click here to send us your offering and we will post it on this page and forward it to Sue and Diane for inclusion in the book.

What we most cherish about Tim Gawron

Tim Gawron's gifts go far beyond just what he has accomplished professionally. His character, integrity and ability to make each and every person he encountered feel important and special was a true gift and the combination made him such an exceptional person.

Diane Sondheimer

 

Okay, let's face it - if you knew Tim, or even if you didn't, but recognize him as someone you saw at one of the national meetings, the one thing impossible to forget was his irrepressible smile. A smile of unconditional acceptance that invited friend and stranger alike to sit and share a story, a laugh or a concern. Regardless of the purpose of the interaction, the recipeint of that smile always went away just a slightly better person...

Scott Bryant-Comstock

 

Tim was a renaissance man.  He actively searched for knowledge rather than accepting what already existed.  He was a friend and colleague to all  with whom he came into contact in the system of care work.  He was a comfortable fit with people of all cultures and he shared his knowledge and expertise with wit and infectious enthusiasm.  He is sorely missed, but will always be remembered.

Kenley Wade

 

Tim was a member of a team that created the very first GFA Crosswalk (now an anchor TA tool for TAP and communities) in 2003. I was a Peer Mentor then and Regenia Hicks assembled a team to create the crosswalk. If my memory serves me right, the team included Tim, Vera Pina, Debora and Emmett Dennis, Kenley Wade and myself. Tim, as always was a very important part of the team by displaying his patience for the collaborative process but also being firm on important points and his beliefs and insisting on our adherence to family involvement and the SOC principles. Tim was a true champion of our work.

Bruce Strahl

 

In my six years of working with the TA Partnership in various roles, my
working with Tim was always an opportunity to re-connect with the positive
values of the work and commitment to what is really important. Tim was a
peer mentor's peer mentor. He was always available to share ideas of how to
improve the viability of services being provided by the TA Partnership and
how best to utilize the vast array of experiences of the peer mentor family.
Everyone was included and I believe a part of the success being realized in
the communities. Tim never complained about what may be happening in his
life, but rather focused on what he could do to be of help to someone else.
The best advice that I can share was his reassurance to me that change
cannot happen unless you are at the table. Your contribution cannot be
denied if you trust your voice is in the best interest of the families and
their children.

Mahalo Nui Loa (thank you very much) Tim for your numerous contributions to
the families and children.

Aloha `oe (until we meet again)
Emmett Dennis

 

I remember when I first met Tim many years ago and when I think of him, I can’t help but smile. Tim always made me smile and feel safe. He was quiet but strong, and his leadership is and always will be felt by all who had the honor of working or spending time with him. I think of Tim’s generosity of knowledge and patience. He was and for me will continue to be a mentor who’s presence will always be a reflection in our past, present, and future work. I will always feel blessed to have known him and hope we will build upon the many strengths, he shared with us. I think of Tim as a colleague, a friend, and a great Warrior, rich with integrity and encouragement, an awesome spirit of honesty and respect, and of hope and faith in all of us who share his commitment and passion, for our young people and their families. A GENTILE WARRIOR, Tim shared his many gifts with all of us, I will always remember him with a sincere, Mahalo (thank you) and heart felt Aloha

Deborah F. Toth-Dennis

 

I will remember Tim as a man who had a way of making parents feel important at a time during their journey when they feel the most insignificant. I first met him when I was an overwhelmed parent who was just learning to work within the system as a professional. I was feeling confused and lost in an environment filled with inconsistent messages and “system-speak” and was very close to giving up. When someone introduced him to me, his face lit up and he said, “I’ve heard so many good things about you! It is my pleasure to finally meet you in person!” and he thanked me for committing to help other parents. He probably said that to all the parents he met, but for me it was the encouragement I needed at that time to keep moving along. He was a champion for the work that family members aspire to do, and a voice that will be missed.

Beth Berndt

 

My memory of Tim is of someone who had a big heart and even larger spirit. His enthusiasm for living life to its fullest was infectious. He was able to find pleasure in the mundane activity of shopping at Trader Joes. There was no Trader Joes store near where Tim lived, so when he was in a city that had one, he never failed to go there. His smile and delight in these simple things also made me smile as well. Not to be overlooked was his dedication to helping those communities who were working on implementing a system of care. He was always willing to make the extra effort to share the knowledge he had gained over the years in his work with children.

He is sorely missed.

Michele Herman

 

The first words that come to mind when I think of Tim are; "Gentle Spirit" Tim was a man of stellar values and it was clear to me that he was always connected to his heart in how he spoke and shared his words of wisdom. Tim and I became good friends after we spent an amazing week together in New Mexico, being trained as faculty members for the Georgetown University Leadership Academy. Being in a family member/leader role comes with it's own culture and set of challenges. Tim always had such a nurturing and supportive way of reminding me that the value in the experiences and expertise of a family member was critical to informing the work of system of care developement.He often felt like my cheerleader as he consistently encouraged me to keep my voice strong, open and honest, even if people may feel some discomfort, that this was all part of the change process.He was without a doubt one of the most genuine people I have had the pleasure to call my mentor, but more importantly, my friend. He is truly missed, but his legacy as a leader and champion for children and families lives on!

Cathy Ciano

 

I had the good fortune to know Tim, to work with him, to learn from him
and to enjoy his friendship for 10 years. Tim taught me so much about
the importance of respecting parent and youth direction in the
development of the mental health system. Tim was at once a gentle soul
and a strong force to be reckoned with when advocating for children and
families. I enjoyed talking to Tim as he was always full of news; news
about politics, systems, research and certainly about people he cared
about. He loved his work so much that he pushed himself to keep going
physically many times when his discomfort was unimaginable to me; he was
aware of how much he had to give and how important his contributions
were. I miss Tim, and I continue to be inspired by him.

Amy Starin

 

We in Illinois felt so lucky that Tim’s ties to his family kept him here, even though we shared him with the entire System of Care Community. No one could more clearly conceptualize and implement a system of care approach than Tim—he was brilliant. But his brilliance was not the measure of Tim—it was his kindness, his warmth, that great smile, his willingness to make the hard choices and carry the water when it needed to be carried, his way with words. Tim transformed mental health service delivery in Illinois within both the child welfare and mental health systems—and all the children touched by those systems will never know what a fine advocate they have lost. Tim truly embraced and lived the value of family driven and families are consistently at the table and talking, thanks in great measure to the work of Tim. His work was incredibly important to Tim and one of his greatest regrets was that it felt unfinished—but what an impact he has made.

Colette Lueck

 

I first met Tim while doing System of Care Grant Reviews.  I remember he was so kind and friendly.  We instantly became friends and continued to seek each other out at different meetings we attended.  He always asked about my family and was so quick to share a joke or two with me.  I have never met anyone as kind, caring, and compassionate as Tim. He loved children and was so committed to making sure the System of Care was not just a thought but a reality anywhere he went. I truly will miss seeing him when I attend meetings.  His spirit will always be among us as we work to expand the System of Care and as we continue with our everyday struggles.

Teri Toothman

I met Tim as a new Project Director for a system of care community and continued our relationship as a peer and an friend over the past ten years.  Tim was a man of faith, intellect, and deep commitment to families and youth.  His skill to work both inside the system as an administrator and as a mentor and guide to both families and professionals was unique.
 
Tim valued personal connections, and continued to work through his pain in the past few years. We always found personal time in the midst of the work. I know he also was a mentor and caretaker to others and valued his interest and friendship with me.  Your contributions to a caring, humanistic system of care live on Tim.

Michael Taylor
Portland, Oregon

 

Tim epitomized humility.  He loved peace.  Tim possessed such a wealth of knowledge and experience which he willingly shared, but never flaunted.  Tim championed work with children, youth and families who had experienced trauma and paid a lot of attention to very young children.  A great loss to children's mental health.  In his famous sign off, "Peace - Namaste!!"

Janice L. Cooper  

Tim was the most articulate person I ever met.  He could turn a phrase in a way that would help everyone understand an issue more clearly.  Working with Tim in both the state office of mental health and child welfare, I saw him work his verbal magic many times. We relied on him to help us make sense of some of our basic ideas.  Like when we thought it might be good to look at child trauma, Tim convinced us all of the ‘harmonic convergence’ that allowed us ‘to promote the abilities and resilience of kids.’  Thus, child welfare started its PARK trauma program.

But Tim did more than just talk.  He was committed to helping families.  Tim was proud that every grant proposal he wrote received funding and he was even more pleased that each proposal was a program he truly believed in.  Nothing frustrated him more than when a newly funded proposal would start to run into the inevitable bureaucratic diversions.  With his passion for helping children and developing systems of care, he could not understand why politics and other self-interests had to play a role in caring for kids.

Tim’s commitment was personal as well.  He treated everyone with respect and saw everyone as a potential friend.  Where most of us would attend meetings to gather information, Tim would come away with the facts and several new acquaintances as well.  It seemed he knew everybody and liked them all.  He would get to work early in the morning and come by to visit as we arrived at our offices.  Tim always wanted to know how you were and what was up with you and your family.  He would listen and smile and tell a few stories of his own, including of his nephew, whom he adored.  

And, in quieter moments, Tim would talk of his spiritual search.  He would go on his religious retreat weekends and seek to better understand himself and life.  I think his playing Santa Claus at his sister’s store every Christmas holiday was a form of ministry to him and he would talk about spending time with each child that came to him to ask for something- the ultimate compliment being when one child explained to a younger sibling that other stores had Santas too, but this was the real one.  Eventually, Tim’s spiritual journey involved his struggle with cancer and his maintaining hope that things would get better.

I miss Tim and his smile.  But, if he has his way, then my bet is that he is up in Heaven right now, quietly advocating for all of us.

Gene Griffin