Jane Dahl Sakala, 97, of Hinsdale, died peacefully on July 22, 2022, her grandchildren holding her hands.
Jane was born in Cleveland in 1925 to John "Bud" and Clara Pedlar Dahl. Bud relocated the family to La Grange, after finding good work during the Great Depression. Janie had a spunk and sass about her that was the perfect complement to the sweetness of her beloved big sister Jean. While Jean was learning to drive Jane insisted she could walk faster and hopped out of the car to do so. She graduated from Lyons Township High School in 1943. Working at Western Electric, she accepted a blind lunch date with a co-worker's brother. When Joe Sakala wore his Navy dress blues to lunch, Jane thought he was an arrogant Navy man, never expecting to see him again. They were married Oct. 9, 1948. They celebrated 66 amazing years together, until Joe's passing in 2015.
Jane and Joe raised their daughters, Carol and Barbara, in Downers Grove and Hinsdale. They joined the Union Church of Hinsdale in 1963, where they were active participants and volunteers. Jane loved volunteering cuddling the babies at La Grange Hospital and typing out birth certificates. She supported Joe's accounting practice in Hinsdale by picking up and delivering "the books" each month, often with children in tow. She still managed to squeeze in a few golf leagues into her busy days.
When the nest was empty she went back to work for the Oak Brook Fire Department and enjoyed a second career with "her boys." (No female firefighters at that time.)
Jane and Joe were blessed to share 30 years of retirement together enjoying grandchildren, volunteering and playing golf at their second home in Door County, Wis. This is where she finally got her hole-in-one. Most of all Jane loved her family, all things chocolate and ice cream. Perhaps her greatest accomplishment was living a long, full life.
She is survived by her daughters, Carol (Dan Dick) Sakala and Barbara (Tony) Hill of Hinsdale; her grandchildren, Tyler Hill (fiancé Madeline), Leah Sakala, Britta (Nick) Zeisloft and Jonah Sakala; her nieces, Karen and Kathy; and her nephew, Ken.
A private celebration of life is planned for the fall, Jane's favorite time of year.
