I have fought the good fight,
I have finished the race,
I have kept the faith.
NOW there is in store for me
the crown of righteousness,
which the Lord, the righteous Judge,
WILL award to me on that day –
and not only me, but also to
ALL THOSE who have longed
for His appearing!
2 Timothy 4:7-8
Everyone has a story that is uniquely their own, and it’s impossible to sum up a person’s life in a few short sentences, especially for a woman who lived just a few months shy of one hundred years. Evelyn didn’t live a remarkable life by the standards of our culture, but she was remarkable to us. Evelyn was a woman who loved Jesus, her family, and her community. Our family is filled with gratitude to God for His creation of Evelyn and His care for her all the days of her life. Evelyn’s legacy lives on in each of us, and her life’s ripple effect is growing through the lives of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Evelyn Jakubek Zabawa, formerly of Ottawa, IL, passed away peacefully early Tuesday morning, July 23, 2024, in Kennewick, WA. Evelyn was born in Ottawa, IL, on December 7, 1924. She was the first of five children born to Henry and Marie Schiffgens. Evelyn’s spiritual home, beginning with her Baptism and ending with her Mass of Christian Burial, was at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Ottawa, IL.
Evelyn was born six years after WWI ended and four years after women were given the right to vote. She entered a world recovering from devastating war and during the prohibition era. The aftermath of WWI had many far-reaching consequences, leading to further global turmoil.
A few years after Evelyn’s birth, The Great Depression struck (1929 – 1939). During her young life, she witnessed severe economic hardship, massive unemployment, widespread bank failures, and a dramatic drop in industrial production. The economic devastation of the era sowed seeds of totalitarian regimes, with Mussolini’s fascist regime in Italy and political unrest in Germany paving the way for the rise of the Nazi Party leading to WWII.
Despite the tumultuous times, Evelyn graduated from St. Xavier Academy and St. Mary’s School of Nursing. It was during her time at St. Mary’s School of Nursing that Evelyn’s world was rocked when she met Walter James Jakubek of Peru, IL, at the skating rink in Ottawa, IL. Walt “happened” to be home on leave while serving in the Navy during WWII, and Evelyn was with her girlfriends at the rink. God was at work unfolding His story with them that would include us.
On August 16, 1947, they were married at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Ottawa and began their adventure together. Evelyn and Walt were blessed with five children (three sons and two daughters) over the span of fifteen years. They were living the typical post-WWII baby boomer life, trying to put WWII behind them and building a strong future focused on their faith in God, building a strong marriage and family, and supporting their community. Life was good and they were a united team in their parenting style. Our family was strong, loving, stable and predictable.
On March 17, 1968, Walter passed away suddenly of a heart attack while they were at a St. Patrick’s Day dance. In the blink of an eye, Evelyn’s world stopped. She and our father, Walt, enjoyed twenty-one years of a happy marriage. The stability she and Dad had built was shattered. The loss of her husband and our father was a completely devastating blow to her life and our family. The few years after our father’s death were the toughest years for our mom and all of us. But God had a plan for her life and ours, and it included Peter (Pete) George Zabawa.
Mom’s world was rocked a second time when she was set up on a blind date with Peter Zabawa a few years after Walt passed away. She found love again, and they married on September 10, 1971, at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Ottawa. Mom and Dad (Pete) shared almost fifty-five years together. God blessed Evelyn with two wonderful husbands and our family with two wonderful fathers. Pete and Evelyn were a great married team as well. Raising children is not easy, but being a stepparent is extra challenging, and Dad never wavered from the task. Mom and Dad entrusted our Grandpa Heini and Grandma Marie to watch over us when they went on their honeymoon. Imagine their surprise when they opened the door to their home and found their whole home was filled with smoke damage and their kitchen was burnt crispy from a grease fire. Their first task as a married couple was fire restoration to their entire home. I can tell you that we gave Dad a run for his money, but he loved our mother, and he loved us. They enjoyed traveling together and saw most of the United States by car and traveled on some of the “great” trains in Europe. They spent twenty-seven years as snowbirds in Largo, FL.
Evelyn’s nursing career was vast. She practiced as a Private Duty Nurse, the Director of Nursing at Rivershores Nursing Home, and finished her career as an Industrial Nurse at American Hoechst Corporation. If you gave blood at the Red Cross Bloodmobiles in Ottawa, IL, during the 1970s, 1980s, or 1990s, she may have been the nurse who drew your blood. Mom also volunteered as a Hospice nurse for ten years after she retired.
Evelyn was involved in numerous civic organizations in Ottawa, including The Catholic Daughters of America, Delta Theta Tau Sorority, Ladies of the Elks, and Marquette Alumni. Evelyn had a very sharp mind, and she would tell you it was because she played bridge often. She not only greatly enjoyed the game of bridge but, more importantly, loved the deep friendships that developed over the many years of playing bridge together.
In summary, if Evelyn’s life could be summed up into a few short sentences, it would be: “Evelyn made an impact in this world because she loved well – Jesus, Walt, Pete, her children, and grandchildren. She was resilient, strong, smart, and kind.”
Evelyn is loved and will be missed by her husband, Peter; children, David Jakubek of Ottawa, Donald (Mary) Jakubek of Northbrook, IL, Daniel (Beverly) Jakubek of Pasco, WA, Diann (Stephen) Anderson of Loveland, CO, Dori (Norman) Weigel of Kennewick, WA; brothers, Tom (Mary) Schiffgens of Maryland and George Schiffgens of Texas; grandchildren and great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews. Evelyn is predeceased by her parents; husband, Walter; sister, Alice (Vince) Pitstick; brother, Ralph (Dorothy) Schiffgens; and sister-in-law, Marie Schiffgens.
Evelyn’s visitation will be held from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM on Saturday, August 10, 2024, at Ottawa Funeral Home, 1111 LaSalle Street, Ottawa, IL. Evelyn’s Liturgy of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 AM on Saturday, August 10, 2024, at St. Francis of Assisi Church with MSGR Mark Merdian celebrating. Evelyn’s burial will follow at Ottawa Cemetery. Memorials may be given to a hospice organization of your choice.
The online guest book may be viewed and remembrances shared at www.ottawafuneralhome.com
Ottawa Funeral Home & Crematory
1111 LaSalle St, Ottawa Illinois 61350
815-433-0300
www.ottawafuneralhome.com