Eveline E Fiedler

Eveline was born in Görlitz, Germany, located in East Germany. She grew up during World War II and fled Germany to Czechoslovakia with her mother and grandfather amid the invading armies and dropping bombs. They later walked back to Germany where they struggled to find food to eat since most places were destroyed. When the war was over, East Germany became the Soviet Occupation Zone and life did not get better. Eveline was now a young woman and met her future husband, Horst Fiedler. They saw how bad things were getting behind a border separating Germany. They decided they must leave for a better life. They pretended like they were just going for a short trip on their motorcycle and would be coming right back, so they were allowed to leave (before the East German border was completely closed).

They made it to West Germany and applied to come to America, which was her husband Horst’s dream. Eveline worked in a laundry, and a few other jobs until she found a job she liked better. She worked for an English Major and his family. She was the nanny, translator and assisted the cook. She had learned English growing up in Germany, which helped her get the job. Horst and Eveline became West German citizens and got married. They found out their application to come to America got approved at the same time Eveline found out she was pregnant with her daughter Marilyn. They decided to go through with her husband’s dream and come to America.

Eveline and Horst immigrated to the United States by ocean liner while Eveline was pregnant. They arrived on New Year’s Eve in 1957 and came to the Chicago, Illinois area where their sponsor lived. Their daughter Marilyn was born in March of 1958 in Chicago, Illinois. Eveline liked to cook and became a thrifty homemaker to make ends meet while her husband worked as a machinist. They were able to save money and buy a house after only a few years in this country. This is the same home where she lived for the rest of her life. Her daughter Marilyn moved to the East Coast of Virginia in 1987 with her husband Jeff. Eveline’s husband passed away in 1990, and she lived on her own in her home until she passed away in 2025.

Eveline was very independent and took care of her home by herself. Eveline said she liked mowing her lawn and loved working outside in her flower and vegetable gardens. Flowers brought her joy. Eveline also liked traveling. She enjoyed traveling to different National Parks in the US with her husband and daughter and going to Minnesota fishing with her husband. She also went to Germany each year for many years to visit and help her mother. In her later years she went on a couple of cruises with her daughter Marilyn including one from Australia around New Zealand when she was 83! She was adventurous and enjoyed her life.

There will be a short burial service at Mount Emblem Cemetery in Elmhurst, Illinois on July 28, 2025, at 11:30 am.