Luiz Sudbrack, Md

Dr. Luiz Carlos Sudbrack, Sr., 81, of Chicago, passed away peacefully at home on June 29, 2025, due to complications from metabolic and liver disease. His final days were filled with prayer, music, and the presence of loved ones.

Born on April 2, 1944, in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, Luiz was the youngest of four siblings—three sisters who adored and doted on him throughout his childhood. As a young boy, he thrived in the Boy Scouts and developed a lifelong passion for soccer. He learned to drive at the age of 12 under the watchful eye of his father, igniting a love for fast driving that amused his friends and exasperated his wives.

At 15, Luiz left home to attend boarding school, later enrolling in university at Colégio Estadual Júlio de Castilhos, where he distinguished himself both academically and socially. After completing a year of mandatory military service, he graduated at the top of his medical class from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, one of Brazil’s leading public institutions. It was during his time that he met his first wife, Lucia, with whom he began a family while balancing the demands of school and fatherhood. His early career as a country doctor provided him with invaluable experience, from diagnosing complex conditions to delivering babies.

Luiz’s academic achievements and promise in medicine brought him to the United States, where he completed a prestigious pathology residency at Chicago’s Jackson Memorial Hospital. It was in in Chicago he met his second wife, Dorianna. They married in Lake Forest, Illinois, and soon welcomed three children in quick succession. Luiz was a gentle and affectionate father, known for his silly jokes, long-distance swimming (once rescuing a drowning man in Lake Michigan), and his dedication to weekend soccer games and barbecues. He was also embraced by his wife’s large Italian family, and their Sunday meals became a cherished tradition.

A dedicated physician, Luiz worked at the Read Mental Health Institute and Michael Reese Hospital before founding his own pathology lab, where he did meticulous work with cell cultures to identify diseases. One of his proudest achievements was transitioning into internal medicine and opening his own private practice, Agape Medical Center, where he showed unwavering devotion to his patients.

Later in life, Luiz experienced a profound spiritual awakening that deepened his faith and reshaped his path. He met his beloved third wife, Maria, at church—a fellow believer who wasn’t seeking love but found it with Luiz. Luiz often said he felt the Lord’s presence, telling him Maria was “the one.” Together for 31 years, they shared travel, missionary trips, Christian conferences, and a love rooted in their faith. Luiz cherished his blended family and always looked forward to lively celebrations with Maria’s close-knit Puerto Rican family. He especially enjoyed steak dinners at Fogo de Chão and Outback with his step-son-in-law, Michael.

Luiz’s connection to Life Changers Church and its hospital ministry team brought him great fulfillment after his retirement in 2015. A voracious student of Christianity, he amassed over a thousand Christian books and CDs and found daily comfort in devotions and praise music, especially as his health declined. Luiz took immense pride in seeing all his children graduate from college, many of them going on to earn advanced degrees. Among them are a gynecologist, a pediatrician, and even a NASA engineer. He viewed education not only as a legacy but as a calling. In his declining years, he took special comfort from his regular phone calls with his daughter Chantal and her cat Sophie, a beloved pet .

He is survived by his loving wife, Maria; his children: Márcia (Lema), Cíntia, Simone (Rafael), Sacha, Chantal, and Luiz Jr.; his grandchildren Augusto, Gabriela, and Antonio; and his stepdaughters Evelyn (Michael), Nancy, and Aracelis (Oscar). He also leaves behind his sisters, Vera and Sonia (Hennesey); nieces and nephews Regina, Cristina, Carlos (Patricia), Katia, Kleber, Karin, and Luciana (Beto); and many dear friends in Brazil and the U.S.

Luiz’s life was one of many chapters: doctor, husband, father, and believer. He leaves behind a legacy of compassion, perseverance, humor, and faith. His journey was long and full, and he finished it with grace, surrounded by love

Funeral service Thursday, July 3, 2025 at 4:00pm with visitation continuing until 8:00pm at Countryside Funeral Home and Crematory 950 South Bartlett Rd. (at Stearns Rd.), Bartlett. Following services, cremation private at Countryside Crematory. Info (630)289-7575