Harold Ebel

Harold Ebel, 86, longtime Moses Lake resident, passed away Friday, April 7, 2006 at SunBridge Care and Rehabilitation, after a battle with cancer. Arrangements are in care of Kayser's Chapel and Crematory, Moses Lake.

Harold was born on November 17, 1919 in Hydro, Mont. in a sod shanty. His family moved to a farm 5 miles east of Wheeler in 1927. He attended the third grade that year in Wheeler.

His family moved to Neppel, now Moses Lake, in 1928 where he went to the fourth grade. His family then moved to Oakesdale where he went to the fifth and sixth grade.

His family then moved back to Neppel (Moses Lake) where he graduated from high school in 1939. After high school he worked for a short time on Grand Coulee Dam and from there went to work for Kier Construction Co., one of the prime contractors on Grand Coulee, as a time keeper building an army camp near San Diego, Calif.

When that job was complete, he came back to Washignton and worked on Grand Coulee as a cement finisher. Shortly after World War II started he enlisted in the Navy. He went to Aviation Ordinance School at Norman, Okla. and from there he went to Florida and trained in a P.B.M. Sea-plane, where he received his wings. He made a tour of duty in the South Pacific with the 7th fleet. He was in combat aircrew 97, in the Patrol Bombing Squadron 28. An air sea rescue anti-submarine patrol unit. In his service he rescued two Navy fighter pilots. He served aboard a P.B.M. sea-plane in a anti-submarine and air sea rescue squadron as a Aviation Ordinance Petty Officer 1st class as the A.P.Q-5 night radar bomb sight operator and flew co-pilot many hours on long patrols. After the war he worked as a cement finisher for the Wiley Construction Co. in Portland, Ore. and came back to Moses Lake where in 1948 he and his brother Leo, started Ebel Brothers Lath & Plastering Company. Later, Harold formed the Lake City Tile Company where he worked until he retired.

He was an avid hunter and fisherman. His hobbies were golf, playing cards and guitar. He was a charter member of the Moses Lake Golf Club and Elks Lodge. He also belonged to The Moose and Eagle Lodges and was a life member of the V.F.W.

In 1949 he married Phyllis Poli. They had two children, Janet and Hal. He had two brothers, Ed and Leo, and two sisters, Viola and Christina, and a half-sister, Lillian. Viola passed away in 1948 at age 21 and his Mother Lydia passed away in 1938, his Dad Jake passed away in 1959, his brother Leo passed away in 2003, his brother Ed passed away in 2005.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Calico Cat or to the charity of your choice in Harold Ebel's name.

The immediate family had a private memorial service April 12, 2006.

Harold is survived by his loving wife Phyllis of 56 years; his daughter and son-in-law Jan and Jim Craghead of Moses Lake; his son and daughter-in-law Hal and Karen Ebel; Hal's three sons, Marc, Michael, David, their family of Wenatchee; his sister Tina Vance of Fruita, Colorado; and nieces and nephews.

Harold will be missed tremendously by all who loved and knew him. But he'll always live in our hearts.