Robert “Bob” Ebben
Robert “Bob” Ebben, 93, passed away peacefully on July 6th, 2022, at McCormick Assisted Living Home in Allouez, WI.
He was born Feb 17th, 1929, in Appleton to Nickolas and Florence (Hughes) Ebben. Bob was the oldest of 8, and lived 55 years in Appleton before retiring and moving to Darboy, and finally to De Pere. He was preceded in death by his wife, Doris (Gosz) Ebben in 1999. He later married Midge (Pressentin) Ebben in 2002.
Survivors include his wife, Midge; 6 children: Tim (Vicki) of Albuquerque, NM; Mark (Karen) of Novi, MI; Sue Peplinski, Appleton; Tom (Fran) of Nampa, ID; Jane (Mark) Dart, Darboy; Paula (Rob) Martens, Luxemburg, WI. Bob had 12 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren.
Bob loved baseball, and was invited to a tryout in 1946 with the Chicago White Sox. He found out there that while he was good, he met a lot of other guys there who were better. Rather than wait for the cut, he packed up and came home to Appleton and started working for Riverside Paper and opted to play in the industrial softball league for Riverside. He met his soon to be wife Doris while both worked at Riverside and they married June 2nd, 1951. He built a home on South Jackson Street to raise their family. During the 60’s, he ran for Alderman and served 4 years. In the 70’s, he became a partner in a vacation lake property development company that developed Bailey’s Lake in Waupaca County and Lake Alpine in Waushara County. During that period Bob became a Licensed Real Estate Broker. In 1971, he purchased a lake lot and built a cottage on Alpine with all his kids swinging hammers. Bob had many good summer memories with family and friends there- water skiing, volleyball, fishing and swimming. Every weekend, that was his getaway. Bob was always giving of his time & knowledge and loved meeting new people. He even volunteered with a group of his fellow parishioners to travel to Honduras (twice) rebuilding an orphanage.
He was employed for 39 years at Riverside Paper, his last position was the Director of Sales, Service and Planning, retiring in 1984. That same year he and Doris moved to Darboy where Bob then started a second career as a certified financial planner with IDS/Ameriprise. He retired from Ameriprise in 1998, and then cared for Doris in her ill heath at their Darboy home until her death on July 6th, 1999.
Bob met Midge and they two married in 2002, forming a blended family to Midge’s 6 children and moving to De Pere. He stayed retired and he became a “snowbird” with her for many years in Bonita Springs, FL , where he became involved with the Estero Senior Softball League. Bob played 13 seasons with these baseball fanatics before his arthritis made him call it quits. He had a wonderful life. Even though he didn’t make it to the major leagues, but to his family – he was Major League.
Visitation will be held at Resurrection Catholic Church, 333 Hilltop, from 9:00 to 10:50 a.m. Monday, August 1st. The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m. Monday, August 1st at the church with Rev. Tom Reynebeau officiating. Burial will be in Holy Angels Cemetery, Darboy at a later date. Proko-Wall Funeral Home is assisting the family and on online condolences may be sent to www.prokowall.com.