Obituary for Elinore Ebling

This obituary was submitted by the family:

Elinore Ebling, 93, long-time resident of Talkeetna, Alaska passed away on March 4, 2017, surrounded by loving family and friends at her bedside. Elinore was born on July 30, 1923, in San Francisco, California.

Elinore went to U.C. Berkeley for Journalism while also working at Western Union. She applied for a job at a newspaper and was offered a job reporting for the women’s page. She decided that she would continue working for Western Union for a while longer.

On a fluke in 1946, Elinore interviewed for a Civil Service position and was hired immediately. Soon, she was on a boat for Japan. In 1948, she was transferred to Germany where met her husband, Myron “Ace” Ebling.   The couple married in 1950 and celebrated their 50^th wedding anniversary in May 2000 at the Talkeetna VFW Post 3836. They had one child, Curtis, who was born in 1951. During the Vietnam War, Elinore and her son lived in California where she taught elementary while Myron did three tours of duty.

Myron’s last military assignment brought them to Anchorage, where Elinore continued to teach school, which was a joy for her. They went to Talkeetna on the weekends to work on the home they were building. Elinore came to Talkeetna permanently in the late ‘70’s. Elinore was very active in many organizations in Talkeetna. She was a teacher for the GED program, belonged to the Red Hat Ravens, was a lifetime member of the VFW, and held Episcopal service at her home for 40 years. She sold snow cones and popcorn for the VFW during the Moose Dropping Festival and rode on the VFW float in the parade. She helped with bingo at the VFW for years. She was an active member of the Upper Susitna Senior Center and the Talkeetna Homemakers. She gave all of her friends sourdough starter from 1906. Elinore was also a voracious reader and active supporter of the Talkeetna Library. She frequently donated crafts for the children’s reading program.

Elinore was an incredibly positive, outgoing, supportive person who was very generous with her time and contributions. Her laugh was infectious. Her door was always open, and she served as surrogate mother and grandmother for many. She was fiercely independent and encouraged that in others. She was also incredibly nurturing. She was a remarkable woman who was ahead of her time.

She was preceded in death by her husband Myron (the love of her life), her son, Curtis, her parents, her sister, Phyllis, and her brother, Walter. Elinore will be missed by her family and numerous friends.   Elinore is survived by her family living in Talkeetna, California, and New York. She is also survived by her Talkeetna friends that she considered family.

To coincide with her birthday, a community celebration of Elinore’s life will be held on July 30, 2017, at VFW Post 3836 in Talkeetna, Alaska.