Justina Ebeling

Justina Anna Ebeling, age 89, of St. James, MN died Sunday, May 16, 2010, at her home in St. James. A private family service was held at the graveside in the Mt. Lake Cemetery Friday morning. Family and friends are invited to gather with her family at her home at 908 9th Street South in St. James on Friday, May 21 from 2-4 pm. Justina was born October 11, 1920, to Abram B. and Susan (Heppner) Dick in Mt. Lake. She was a member of the First Mennonite Church in Mt. Lake and was their organist for many years. She served as organist for many of the weddings in Mt. Lake. After graduating from Mt. Lake High School in 1939, she was employed as the Secretary to the Superintendent of the Mt. Lake High School for five years. She completed the Senior Executive Course at the Minneapolis Business College in Minneapolis and returned to work as the News Editor of the Mountain Lake Observer for two years. In 1946 Justina began working for the St. James Newspapers, a full and part-time job that lasted thirty years. She also was a proofreader for The Printer after her retirement. Justina worked as an election judge for the city of St. James. She baked bread in the Summer Kitchen at the Butterfield Threshing Bee, served on the board of directors of the Watonwan County Historical Society, and volunteered with the Hospice program. After her marriage to Mayo J. Ebeling June 25, 1949 at her parent's home in Mt. Lake, they made their home in St. James. Justina is survived by her daughter Susan Larry Anderson of rural St. James, son Paul and Phyllis Ebeling of Tucson, AZ; grandchildren Matthew Anderson Katrin Erdmann of St. Paul; Karl Sarah Anderson of Lake Crystal; Emily Jacob Birkholz of Iowa City, Iowa; Andrew Anderson and special friend Kaitlin Buckley of St. Louis Park; six great-grandchildren Ethan and Mason Anderson; Haley, Dylan, Macy, and Owen Birkholz; cousins; and good friends Larry and Karen Curry. She was preceded in death by her husband and her parents. Memorials are preferred to St. James Hospice, Meals on Wheels, or donor's preference.