Joseph Frank Ebertz, 95, entered heaven to join his dearly missed wife Millie, on Friday, January 26, 2018 after a short battle with cancer.
Joe was born on January 16, 1923, in Richmond, MN, the son of Anton Ebertz and Magdalena (Fischer) Ebertz. His early youth was spent primarily in the Buckman and St. Cloud, MN areas until moving to Jamestown, ND in 1936 when his father was transferred by the Roberts and McNab Hotel Group to run the kitchen at the very first Gladstone Hotel. He was 13 at the time and attended St. John’s Academy while also working with his father in the Gladstone restaurant. In high school he enjoyed playing football and basketball. By the time he graduated from St. John’s in 1941, he was also working at his father’s new restaurant, Tony’s Coffee Shop, located next to the old Post Office on 1st Ave S.
During WWII, in 1944, Joe volunteered to join the Marine Corps to follow his older brother Tony into the war. Tony had already enlisted in the Air Force to be a pilot. Boot camp was in San Diego followed by a short stop at Hawaii before sailing out into the iconic fights in the Pacific Theater, Saipan first, then Iwo Jima and back to Hawaii where he was hospitalized for a couple weeks. In May 1945 he returned home. Joe was in the 5th Amphibious Tractor Battalion of Company C. He and Millie loved to travel to many battalion reunions all over the country.
While Joe was battling in the Pacific, his father sold Tony’s Coffee Shop and leased the Nollets Cafe located between what was then known as the Grand Theater and The Gladstone Hotel. Several years later, the name was changed to Ebertz Cafe where it was ultimately run by Joe and his brother Tony after their father, Anton, died in 1949.
On November 26, 1949 Joe married the love of his life, Mildred Rose Rice and began a family, ultimately having two boys and two girls. Millie was a medical technologist and a teacher, but most of all loved being a mother.
Over the years Joe became involved with many businesses including Big Jim’s Cafe, Little Jim’s Restaurant, Polar Liquors, and farming.
He was an active member of St. James Basilica and was a proud member of the Knights of Columbus for many, many years.
In later life, he was known for his kind, humble nature, a tremendously soft and large heart, and his friendly spirit. He followed the news closely and was greatly troubled by the sadness in the world today, especially “man’s inhumanity to man,” and bothered by the suffering of the poor and downtrodden. He always would lend an ear to listen to anyone’s troubles and would do whatever he could to help.
He was preceded in death by his father and mother, Anton and Magdalena Ebertz, brothers Tony Ebertz and Johnny Ebertz, and sisters AnnaMae Weiler and Marie Clapp. He is survived by his children Mary Anne (Lyle) Grove, Jamestown; Jane Redlinger (John Pearson), Fargo; Dr. J. (Joseph) Mark Ebertz, Bismarck; and Steve Ebertz, St. Paul. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Jim (Heather) Perleberg, Katie Perleberg (fiance Josh Kohl); Ross (Maya) Perleberg; Melissa (Scott) Fluge; Erica (Shay) Stockstad; Erin (Ron) Skarhus; and great-grandchildren Grant, Cade, Faith, Autumn, Amira and Ellianna.
Mass of Christian Burial: 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, January 31, 2018 at St. James Basilica, Jamestown, with Monsignor Jeffrey Wald officiating.
Visitation: 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, January 30, 2018 at Williams Funeral Home, Jamestown.
Rosary: 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, January 30, 2018 at Williams Funeral Home, Jamestown, with a vigil service to follow.
Interment: Calvary Cemetery, Jamestown.
Memorials may be sent to the Millie Ebertz Scholarship Fund, FACE, PO Box 1432, Jamestown, ND.
An online guest book is available at www.liskofuneralchapel.com.