R. Arlen Ebert
R. Arlen Ebert
FAIRMONT — R. Arlen Ebert of Fairmont, formerly of Truman, passed away Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019, at Buffalo Hospital at the age of 86. A celebration of his life will be held 2:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 14, 2019, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Fairmont.
Visitation will be 3-6 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 13, at Zaharia Family Funeral Home in Truman, and one hour prior to the service Monday at the church. Inurnment will be held at a later date at St. Paul’s Lutheran Cemetery, Truman.
Reuel Arlen Ebert was born Feb. 8, 1932, at the Fairmont Hospital to Reuel and Clara (Selsvold) Ebert. He was baptized as an infant by Rev. H. Heineman and was confirmed by Rev. E.T. Heyne on April 14, 1946, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Truman. As a child, he attended Truman Public Schools and graduated from Truman High School in 1950. He attended Carleton College in Northfield and the University of Minnesota in St. Paul.
On Aug. 29, 1953, he married Doreen Louise Geistfeld by Rev. O. F. Hinrichs at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Truman. They lived in Minneapolis and later moved back to Truman where they raised their family. He worked for his father’s hardware store, Ebert Hardware, and in farm management.
He graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1959 with a major in agronomy and started a seed business, from which he retired in 1997. In retirement, he became an avid “auction buff,” amassing a collection of various antiques and collectables.
His other interests included playing cards, hunting pheasants and ducks, and fishing.
In their 65 years of marriage, Arlen and Doreen enjoyed trips to Europe, Mexico, Canada, Alaska, and other sites across the continental U.S. They made two trips to Norway to visit relatives of Arlen’s mother, Clara. He treasured spending time at Spider Lake near Grand Rapids, where his parents had a cabin and his sister and family lived for many years.
Arlen was a member of the Truman Fire Department for 23 years, and served on the Truman Planning and Zoning Commission and the Public Utility Commission for 12 years.
He was a firearm training instructor for 20 years and a Boy Scout (Webelos) leader. He was also a member of the Farm Bureau, Pheasants Forever, Ducks Unlimited, Minnesota Crop Improvement Association and Southern Minnesota Corn Economics Group. He was chosen as a Minnesota Premier Seed Grower in the 1980s, and served on various boards, including the school board at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and School in Truman. Later, he became a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Fairmont and served on several boards.
Arlen enjoyed his family and was proud of their accomplishments.
Those left to cherish his memory are his wife of 65 years, Doreen Ebert of Fairmont; three children, Kirk Ebert of Bryan, Ohio, Keith (Julie) Ebert of Fairmont, Kimberly (Dennis) Gleason of Buffalo; grandchildren, Melissa (Mark) Keefer, DeAnn (Ben) Loll, Renae (Matt) Rimmer, Michael (Heather) Ebert, Neil Gleason, and Karleigh Ebert; great-grandchildren, Zoey Guzman, Jonah, Oliver, Clara, and Isaiah Loll, Olivia and Colin Keefer, and Leopold Arlen Ebert; two sisters-in-law, Jan Warrington, and Judi (Dr. Richard) Bergen; many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Arlen was preceded in death by his parents; parents-in-law, Ed and Marian Geistfeld; sister, LouAnn (Robert) Kilpatrick; and brother-in-law, Ed Warrington.
Memorials are preferred to Truman Historical Museum or Immanuel Lutheran Church in Fairmont.
www.zahariafamilyfuneral.com
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