Car strikes, kills Northfield woman in crosswalk outside shopping center
Jeanne Dechovitz, 82, was active in community and ‘advocate for children’
A Northfield woman has died after a car struck her on Monday while exiting a shopping center on Happ Road, according to local authorities.
Following the incident, Jeanne Dechovitz, 82, was transported to Evanston Hospital, where she died on Tuesday, July 23, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office.
According to a police summary, at approximately 3:30 p.m. on July 22, a motorist in an SUV struck Dechovitz while leaving the Northfield Village Center shopping area at 300 Happ Road. Dechovitz was walking in the crosswalk across the entryway, the report says, adding that the SUV driver failed to check to her right before attempting to exit.
According to her daughter, Louise Dechovitz, Jeanne Dechovitz lived nearby in the Northfield Square residences.
The collision caused Dechovitz to fall and strike her head on the pavement. She reportedly was transported via ambulance to Evanston Hospital.
The motorist received a citation for failure to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk and has a September court date.
Jeanne Dechovitz was a resident of the Northfield Square neighborhood on Happ Road for more than 20 years, said Louise Dechovitz, her oldest daughter and a former member of the Avoca District 37 Board of Education.
Born in Toledo, Ohio, in 1941, Jeanne Dechovitz moved to the Chicago area in 1970 and settled in Glencoe. She had three daughters — Louise, Sidney Dechovitz and Libby Rosencrans — and the family were members of Am Shalom synagogue in Glencoe.
After the children went to college, Jeanne moved to Northfield, where she was active in the community. Louise Dechovitz said her mom had many friends and was a familiar face at the North Shore Senior Center and Northfield Public Library.
Jeanne Dechovitz loved her five grandchildren more than anything, Louise said, and “was a passionate advocate for children and instilled that in her daughters.” Sidney is a teacher for Winnetka Public Schools and Libby a school social worker in Glenview.
Along with her three daughters, Jeanne Dechovitz is survived by her grandchildren Jess Rosencrans, Max Rosencrans, Thomas Rix, William Rix and Sadie Dechovitz-Duvall; and her siblings Judy Disbennett, Denny (Donna) Mominee and Jay (Katharine) Mominee and many nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents, Sylvester and Gertrude “Tudie” Mominee, and her siblings, David Mominee and Janet Ann Lagouranis.
The family invites friends to the home of Louise and Andy Rix, 3139 Walden Lane, Wilmette, from 4-8 p.m. on Thursday-Friday, July 25-26.
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Joe Coughlin
Joe Coughlin is a co-founder and the editor in chief of The Record. He leads investigative reporting and reports on anything else needed. Joe has been recognized for his investigative reporting and sports reporting, feature writing and photojournalism. Follow Joe on Twitter @joec2319
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