Obituary
Evelyn D. Meyer died at the age of 97, three months after the passing of her beloved husband.
Evelyn was born in Albany Park. She was very close to her mother, Estelle Schmidt, and had one sister, Doris. At age 14, she was introduced to Eugene Meyer at Von Steuben High School. That’s when Evelyn and Gene’s love story began.
Evelyn followed Gene to the University of Illinois after high school. But soon after, World War II unexpectedly split them apart. Gene enlisted in the Army, shuffling to bases all across the country. Evelyn wrote him love letters and visited him at every base. It became too difficult for her to say “Goodbye” during this time. Instead she’d say, “I’ll see ya when I see ya.”
The couple wed on December 30, 1944, at Gene’s base in Louisiana. It was the start of 77 years of marriage.
Many of the couple’s memories were made at their home in Highland Park. It’s where their three children, Ken, Donna and Rick were raised, and where their six grandchildren, Rob, Scott, Danny, Josh, Carly and Brendan would sleep over and play. Evelyn, a.k.a “Nannie,” had a special way of communicating with children. She’d create songs, melodies and high-pitched noises as if she were speaking a made-up language of warmth and love.
Evelyn loved fiercely, with spunk and flair. She didn’t just love you. She LOVED you. She didn’t just blow you a kiss. She’d shoot you a MWAH! Evelyn taught us to “Cut the grease,” which meant that after dinner, you had to eat something sweet. She relished hot fudge sundaes and Walker Bros. apple pancakes. She enjoyed watching Westerns so much she requested that her children and grandchildren send her photos of them wearing cowboy hats, which they did. She beamed when a hummingbird visited her birdfeeder. On birthday cards and needlepoint stitching, she’d leave her mark with a kite.
Evelyn and Gene were founding members of Congregation B’nai Torah. They loved antiquing and attending garage sales enough that they ran their own antique kiosk well into their 80s. They traveled the world, from China to Europe, with their favorite country being England. On many of these trips, Gene would bring his painting materials, because instead of buying a postcard or taking a photo, he’d paint watercolor pictures for Evelyn.
In December, Evelyn and Gene were both placed in hospice care. After Gene’s passing, a large, smiling photo of him in his Army uniform inscribed “All my love” watched over her bedside.
The birds were singing when she died.
Evelyn, Mom, Nannie, we’ll see ya when we see ya.
Evelyn is survived by her children Ken (April), Donna (Fred) Entin, Rick (Avis), six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Private graveside funeral services will be held on Tuesday, April 26 at 1 p.m. Family and friends may view the funeral live at Evelyn’s web page on www.chicagojewishfunerals.com, or anytime after the funeral. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to either Save the Children (Ukrainian Children), P.O. Box 97132, Washington DC, 20090-7132, www.savethechildren.org. Or the American Heart Association, P.O. 840692, Dallas, Texas, 75284-0692, www.heart.org/donate.
And go cut the grease (eat something sweet).
To attend the funeral live stream, please visit our website. Arrangements by Chicago Jewish Funerals - Buffalo Grove Chapel, 847.229.8822, www.cjfinfo.com
Arrangements by Chicago Jewish Funerals. www.chicagojewishfunerals.com