Allen Frank Ebbers

Al graduated from Norwood High School in Norwood, Ohio, where he enjoyed playing football and baseball. In 1952 he was drafted into the U.S. Army during the Korean War, completing service in 1954. He entered Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, that same year under the G.I. Bill where he played on the freshman and varsity baseball teams. He also joined the Sigma Chi fraternity, became editor of the campus humor magazine, and was elected as Senior Class Vice President. In 1958 he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Journalism. His junior year at college marked the first time he ever laid eyes on his love, Fran, and knew instantly she was the girl he wanted to marry forever. They married in 1959. After college he worked as a copy writer in the advertising department for the Globe Wernicke Furniture Company in Cincinnati while continuing to play semi-pro baseball in the old Buckeye League in Ohio and Kentucky during the fifties. In 1960-61 he became chief copywriter for the Lima Advertising Agency in Lima, Ohio. From 1961-1964, he was a courthouse and political editor and aviation columnist for the Portsmouth (Ohio) Times. It was at this time he leaned to fly and formed a flying club.

In 1964 he was accepted into the Army Aviation School in Fort Rucker, Alabama, earning his aviator wings in 1965 and returned to Ohio to serve as an Army National Guard pilot while employed as a reported for the Cincinnati-Post Times Star. In 1966 he accepted a position as Supervisor of the News Bureau in the Public Relations department of Cessna Aircraft Company in Wichita, Kansas, and flew in the Kansas Army National Guard.

In late 1967, he was recalled to active duty and served two tours in Vietnam in 1968 and 1970, flying 1,748 combat hours. Dual rated in both fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft, he stayed on active duty, graduating from the officer aviation safety school at University of Southern California and became an Army aviation safety officer, eventually flying tours in Germany, Korea, United States, and Central America. Some of his numerous awards and citations during his 24-year military service included two Bronze Stars, Meritorious Service Medal, 26 Air Medals, Army Commendation Medal, and six Vietnam campaign (battle) stars.

After military retirement he flew for a regional airline and as a corporate aircraft captain for Southwest Equity Corporation of Temple, Texas. Later he purchased a surplus military aircraft and operated his own aerial photography firm (Custom Aerial Photography) in the mid-1980s, becoming a member of the Austin Chamber of Commerce. In the early-1990s, he became a writer and photographer correspondent for the suburban issue of the Austin American Statesman. He freelanced articles and photos for numerous national, trade, and Sunday newspaper magazines including Boy's Life, Sunset Magazine, Nation's Business, Newsday, and dozens of travel and aviation magazines. He also authored an award-winning suspense novel, Dangerous Past.

He was active in community theatres as an actor working with groups such as Theatre Collective, Austin Theatre for Youth, and Southwestern University summer theatre. He appeared in numerous local and regional television commercials and in local independent feature and industrial films.

As a screenwriter, he was a member of the Austin Screenwriters Group and read scripts for the Austin Film Festival.

As an avid tennis player, he played with Austin seniors at Caswell Tennis Center for years. As a member of the Birddog Association, Otter-Caribou Association, and the Mohawk Association, he enjoyed the retirement reunions with his military flying buddies. He was also a member of the military pilots’ association, The Daedalians.

Allen is survived by Frances, his wife of 66 years, and their children, Christopher, Kenneth, and Carolyn; four grandchildren, Ryan, Michael, Johnathan, and Stephen; and 3 great-grandchildren, Mikaela, Lauren, and Peyton.

He was a member of Santa Rosa Catholic Church

Interment will be Friday, February 28, 2025, at 11:00 AM at Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery in Killeen, with full military honors.