LifeStory

Eva Eisenberg Jacobs

By Elizabeth Sams


Eva Eisenberg Jacobs was a tiny, joyous force of nature, an internationally respected statistician, a voracious reader and talker, a witty and gracious addition to any social gathering, a lover of her family, theater, opera, shoes, wine, and a globe-spanning universe of friends.

She died April 28, 2015, after a mercifully short illness, having faced her death as she lived her life: with courage, humor, and bracing realism. And she left behind friends and family still trying to come to terms with a world without Eve in it.

As her nephew, David Newell, wrote at the time: "She was all that was good in this world - generous, engaged, full of life, zest, opinion - and SHOES....Her life was one full of family, friends, dinner parties and lively (loud!) conversation. Ideas mattered, family mattered, and friends mattered."

Many people attended Eva's memorial service in April; many others were unable to be there.  Some posted tributes to her online obituary, others sent the family beautiful notes and emails. A former colleague from her years at the Bureau of Labor Statistics praised her "intellectual integrity and professionalism" and appreciated her "guidance, support and understanding."

A longtime family friend wrote: "She was a tiny hurricane, a powerful female role model who was funny, spoke her mind, had a real joyfulness and loved her work and her family and friends....She made a real difference to people's lives. What more could you ask for in life?"

We hope anyone who knew Eve will feel free to add more here. Or take a look at the LifeQs and Timeline sections and add your thoughts or photos there.  By sharing our stories and memories, we hope to capture some of the multifaceted whirlwind of energy, curiosity, kindness and affection that was Eva Jacobs.

Eva Jacobs
Memorial
  • born

    Jan 17, 1921
    New York, New York

  • family

    Jonathan Jacobs, Child
    Alice Jacobs, Child
    Abby Jacobs, Child
    Leon Jacobs (d.), Husband

  • died

    Apr 28, 2015
    Chevy Chase, Maryland

Eva Jacobs
Memorial
  • born

    Jan 17, 1921
    New York, New York

  • family

    Jonathan Jacobs, Child
    Alice Jacobs, Child
    Abby Jacobs, Child
    Leon Jacobs (d.), Husband

  • died

    Apr 28, 2015
    Chevy Chase, Maryland