Obituary of William (Bill) Dennis Ebbels

EBBELS - William D. (Bill) died peacefully, surrounded by family, on April 13, 2006 in Regina, Saskatchewan at the Wascana Rehabilitation Centre, where he was a long time resident. Bill was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan on July 20,1922, son of Harold Amory Ebbels, K.C. and Innis Colton Ebbels. He graduated from City Park Collegiate prior to attending the University of Saskatchewan. His studies were interrupted by the war. Bill enlisted in the Royal Canadian Navy in 1942 and served as a Gunnery and Navigation Officer, the latter on the minesweeper H.M.C.S. Canso, the lone Canadian ship with a British flotilla in the Normandy Invasion. During his leave to Canada after D-Day, he married Irma Ruth Hutchison on September 16, 1943 in Montreal. He returned to Europe and was subsequently discharged in 1946. Bills completion of his Bachelor of Commerce at U of S in April 1947 competed with the birth of their first child, Harold Dennis. After graduation Bill joined the Regina investment firm of Houston & Willoughby where he spent his career, becoming the Executive Vice President and General Secretary. He was also involved in the Investment Dealers Association of Canada. The firm went through various mergers eventually becoming RBC Dominion Securities. Bill retired in 1988. Bill was engaged in the community affairs and business of Regina all his life. He was a director of numerous organizations and was a long-standing member of the Regina Kinsmen club, serving as President in 1967. He served on the Regina Exhibition Board, including a term as President. Bill was on the Senate of the University of Saskatchewan and active in the alumni association. As the first Chairman of the Regina Leader-Post Carrier Foundation, he encouraged carriers to attain higher education. He was on the Board of the Canadian Scholarship Trust Fund. Throughout his life Bill was an avid and accomplished athlete. He was on the U. of S. Varsity basketball, hockey, lacrosse and tennis teams, with tennis the focal point and love of his sporting life. Starting in 1948 he was an eight-time Saskatchewan Open Singles champion and runner-up seven times. In 1967, at age 45 he won his last title, also winning the veterans singles championship - the only person to win both in the same year. A great thrill was representing Saskatchewan in the first Canada Summer Games in Halifax in 1967, the oldest competitor at 49. A renowned builder of the game in Saskatchewan he undertook countless administrative and instructional roles including President of both the Regina Tennis Club and the SLTA, for several terms. Bill was inducted into the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame in 1976. Bill cherished his family time during the many summers at Lumsden Beach, at the condo in Mexico, on the countless camping trips stuffed into the family station wagon, and on the tennis courts with his kids or crisscrossing Western Canada to tennis tournaments. Bill had a wonderful sense of humour and was always quick with a laugh. He loved singing, doing the olsoft shoe, and was full of life and vigor in everything he did. Besides Ruth, his remarkable wife of 62 years, Bill is survived by his children: Hal (Donna and Tannis, Rob) of Calgary, Jim (Bonnie and Alecia) of Calgary, Jack (Pat and Calen) of Victoria, Bill (Sheila and Kelly, Lendon, Will) of New Jersey, Virginia (Tim Cosbey and David) of Gabriola Island and Andrea (Callum Hill) of Vancouver. Bill was predeceased by his brother Jack (Lois and Tim, Susan) of Calgary. Ruth wishes to express her heartfelt gratitude to the staff of the Wascana Rehabilitation Centre where Bill had been a resident for thirteen years. Bill has been blessed with the finest friends possible, all of whom provided extraordinary support through these last difficult years. Funeral service will be held on Monday, April 17, 2006 at 2:00 p.m. in Lakeview United Church, 3200 McCallum Ave., Regina, 306-586-7844, with reception to follow at the church. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Wascana Rehabilitation Centre, Nursing Unit 3-5, 2180 23rd Avenue, Regina, Saskatchewan S4S 0A5 or The Lakeshore Tennis Club, PO Box 293, Regina, Saskatchewan, S4P 3A1, or the charity of your choice. An on-line book of condolence may be signed at www.speersfuneralchapel.com