James Michael Ebbesen (Mike), passed away peacefully on June 22, 2022, at the age of 73 after a long battle with cancer. Mike was born in Dekalb, Illinois on November 29, 1948, to James Andrew Ebbesen and Dolores Drendel Ebbesen. He was big brother to Kim, Laurie, Mary, and Jeff. Growing up, Mike was an exceptional student athlete. He attended St. Mary’s Catholic School in DeKalb and graduated from Rich East High School in Park Forrest, Illinois.
Mike attended West Point – the U.S. Military Academy – in New York. At West Point, he played basketball and tennis before graduating in 1971. Upon graduation from West Point, he was commissioned as an Officer (2nd Lieutenant) in the United States Army. He served for over 6 years, 3 of them overseas in Germany, and rose to the rank of Captain before he was honorably discharged in 1977 at Fort Benning, Georgia. The friends he made at West Point and in the army remain some of his closest friends.
While at Fort Benning, he met Shirley Heath, whom he would marry in 1978. Mike and Shirley’s first home was in Green Bay, Wisconsin. It was there in that Frozen Tundra of Wisconsin that they welcomed their first and second child, Christopher, and Thomas. While there, Mike also somehow found time to earn his MBA from the University of Wisconsin – Oskhosh. Warmer climates eventually called, and after a brief stop in Charlotte, North Carolina, the family made it to Texas, settling in Richardson, TX. In the late 1980’s, Mike left the corporate world and purchased North Dallas Floors, in Plano, TX that he operated for over a decade. Mike’s true love was sports and this career change allowed him the opportunity to pass this love onto his sons. He coached their soccer and basketball teams, but basketball was his true love, and he was able to coach their basketball teams from elementary through junior high school.
In 2000, Mike accepted an Investigator position with the U.S. Department of Labor, EBSA. Mike worked in the EBSA Regional Office in Dallas and in the EBSA National Office in Washington DC. In 2015, Mike and Shirley both retired and in 2017 they moved to their forever home at Highland Springs in Dallas. The support, concern and enduring friendship of the Highland Springs residents and staff sustained and comforted Mike and his family.
Those who continue to cherish his memory are his wife, Shirley Heath Ebbesen, and his two sons and their wives, Christopher and Diana, and Thomas and Alannah, his four grandchildren, Jack, Everly, Ella, and Will; his sisters, Mary Ebbesen Davis of Westboro, WI; and Laurie Ebbesen of Seattle, WA; and his brother, Jeffrey Ebbesen, of Denver CO. Mike leaves his loved ones, coworkers, and friends with unforgettable memories, witty comments, and loving stories. He will be missed by all those who knew him.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, July 30, 2022, at 1:00 pm at the Magnolia Place A & E Center at Highland Springs, 8050 Frankford Road, Dallas, Texas. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the North Texas Food Bank or a charity of your choice.
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