Evelyn Dekker Obituary

Evelyn Elizabeth Dekker (nee Adler) of Chicago Ridge, age 88 died at home on April 2, 2017. Wife of the late Thomas Albert Lee Dekker for 65 years. Daughter of the late Harry Hoffman Adler and the late Grace Catherine Adler (nee Holtrop); half-sister of late Edward Frank Fisher; late sister in law Mary Lou Fisher and brother in law Allen Douglas Dekker. She is survived by brother in law Henry (Roberta) S. Dekker, Jr., nephew Rodger S. Graham, niece Mary Newman, God-Daughter Christine M. Okelman and her loving four-legged best friend and companion, Sunny. Retired from Institute of Gas Technology in 1990 as Assistant to the President after 30 years. Following this, began service work as artist and officer of Town and Country Art League where she served as treasurer for 20 years. She was also a member of Senior Citizens Art League now in Chicago and several other local art groups and exhibited her works in locales throughout Chicago and many sites in the county. She studied art at Moraine Valley College for many years and at workshops with acknowledged master artists. Her paintings are located in CT, FL, KY, IL and Mexico. A series of eight paintings depicting Chicago Ridge historical sites are on display at the Village Hall commissioned by the library. A native Chicagoan, she was an art major graduate of Chicago's Harper High School. Early employment included Morgan Park Academy, Argonne National Laboratory and Armour Research Foundation. She and her husband were ardent travelers and RV enthusiasts and toured all but a couple of the lower 48 states plus Canada and Mexico, Cuba and Jamaica. Both were sports oriented especially snow skiing, tennis, golf and leading bicycle groups along Chicago's lake front. Memorial donations may be made to Best Friends Animal Society 5001 Angel Canyon Road, PO Box 567, Kanab, UT 84741-0567 or Animal Welfare League 10306 Southwest Highway, Chicago Ridge, IL 60415. Services were held privately, Arrangements entrusted to Schmaedeke Funeral Home 708-448-6000