Evelyn N. Jackson, 74, a German immigrant, corporate secretary and translator who forged long friendships, died Monday, Feb. 28, of heart failure in Evanston Hospital. Born in Plauen, Germany, Mrs. Jackson moved to New Jersey when she was 6 months old, and her family moved back and forth from Germany to the United States for the next several years. Mrs. Jackson, who could speak English, German, French and Italian, met her husband, Alfred, when she served as his translator and secretary while he was stationed in Germany shortly after World War II. The Jacksons were married in Evanston in 1947. In 1951, Mrs. Jackson began a 40-year career as secretary for her husband at his Chicago-based warehouse company, Mitchell-Jackson. A bowler, bridge player and baseball fan, Mrs. Jackson was described by her family members as a great communicator. “She was a great connector to people,” said daughter Dorothy Biebrich. Her husband said she was a “surrogate mother” to many, because she loved talking to everybody. In addition to her husband and daughter, Mrs. Jackson is survived by four sons, Walter, Robert, David and Richard; a sister, Dorothy Loibl; a brother, Walter Nuernberger, and seven grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday in First Presbyterian Church of Evanston, 1427 Chicago Ave., Evanston.
