James Ebeling

James Alben Ebeling was the best of people, a self-proclaimed renaissance man without a renaissance. Known affectionately as “Jim” by everyone from Trader Joe’s employees to neighbors and doctors.

He was a proud logophile, a closeted artist- he has even been teased that he was indeed a CANDLESTICK MAKER.

He was also an art collector and his home gallery is a testament of his love of art. Don’t even start a conversation with him on the acceptable shades of yellow or red for that matter.

He was a baseball fanatic. Sneaking into the Cubs games as a youth.  He actually played in the minors but the draft ended that. He was a diehard CUBS FAN! And was shocked and overjoyed when they won the World Series!  But he enjoyed any home town team. He married a Dodger fan.  Braves, but not the Marlins even though he lived in Florida for a time... The Rockies, though he never lived there., but three of his grandkids do.  Giants and the feeder teams ---The Dukes now the Isotopes, and River Cats.

He was a kind liberal.

Born and bred in the Midwest. If you will talk to him about the area he will smile, laugh and reminisce and share stories about his shenanigans with his cousins on the farm.  He worked with his Grandfathers on trains and front loaders. He picked up dead bodies with his Dad. After college at Valparaiso, he married that Dodger fan, raised a family and owned gas stations in Atlanta during the Carter years… After the divorce he meddled in candle making and jewelry in Florida and New Mexico.  But fell into Real Estate and deeply in love with a gal from Ohio, who, on a balloon chase stole his heart.

As a collector of personalities, he collected daughters by the dozen, musicians by the many and he had countless friends across the States and the world which he would include in his family.

He loved and adored his beloved wife, Ginna as well as vans, sweet pickles, herring, jokes, music, words, NPR, Public Television and his family; three Daughters, a Son and son in law, seven Grandchildren and three Great Grandchildren.

He would be humbled that you spent the time reading this.

When asked if he wanted an obituary his answer was “Humph!”

We did the best we could with an answer like that.

To say he will be missed is an understatement.

At least we still have Ole and Lena to help keep his jokes coming… So, grab a cookie everyone.

“Ole went into the kitchen and started to take a cookie. Lena slapped his hand away and said "Get avay! Dese cookies aren't for you, der for yer funeral!”

A celebration of Jim’s life will be held in Davis, California at Superowl Brewery on Sunday February 24th at noon and Friday October 4th In Albuquerque, New Mexico.

We have been asked if there in a memorial fund set up for Jim. If you are in a giving spirit a donation to National Public Radio at https://www.npr.org/series/750002/support-public-radi o or KVIE Sacramento Public Television at https://www.kvie.org/donation-to-kvie-05162018-1/ would be exactly what this kind liberal would have appreciated.