Evelyn M. Tobak, 87, of River Forest, died on Feb. 2, 2011 in Arizona. Born on June 17, 1923 in Canada to the late Fred and Annie Tobak, she grew up in a small farming community in Manitoba. During the 1930s, her family moved to the United States, first stopping in Detroit before settling in Chicago. She grew up attending St. Volodymyr Ukrainian Church, where she loved to sing and dance.
After graduating from Tuley High School in 1941, she began working for Montgomery Ward. In a career that spanned five decades, she started out as a filing clerk and worked her way up to personal secretary of executive management. She retired from Montgomery Ward in 1983.
In 1957, she became a citizen of the United States.
During her life, traveling was one of her passions. She toured Australia, New Zealand, Alaska and cruised the Arctic.
In 2009 she moved with Bruce Pestell to Arizona and lived in an assisted living facility until her death. She was preceded in death by her brother Russell in 1994.
Visitation will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 9 from 10 a.m. until time of service, 11:30, at Drechsler, Brown & Williams Funeral Home, followed by interment at Elmwood Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to the Alzheimer’s Association are appreciated.
