Inez Harriet Ebben, Little Chute, 97, passed peacefully into the loving arms of her Savior on Sept. 15, 2011 surrounded by her children. She was born on Nov. 27, 1913 to the late Gertrude and Martin Hendricks. On July 20, 1937, Inez married Ed Ebben and they enjoyed 52 years together before he preceded her in death on Nov. 28, 1989. Throughout her life, Inez was a faithful Catholic and a role model of Christian values. Inez left a legacy of love for her children; she will be remembered as a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.

Inez resided in Little Chute her entire life and was a lifelong member of St. John Nepomucene Catholic Church as well as the St. Elizabeth Society. She showed her creative talents through sewing, stitchery, and cooking. Inez had a love of flowers and displayed her green thumb around her home and yard.

Inez is survived by her children: June (Dan) Pynenberg, Dr. Adrian (Lynn) Ebben, Virginia (Roman Jr.) Salm, Mary (Mark) Vosters, Cheryl (Tim) Leatherbury, Dr. Mark (Mary) Ebben, Dr. Mike (Lisa) Ebben; 21 grandchildren: Dawn VanderPas, Dr. Dann (Jenny) Pynenberg, Dave (Jean) Pynenberg, Abby (Phil) Vanden Heuvel, Mary (Reg) Wydeven, Michelle Salm, Paul (Emily) Salm, Pat (Jenny) Salm, Anna (Brad) Donnermeyer, Matt (Amy) Vosters, Christa (Mike) Schermerhorn, Joy (Brian) Long, Jon (Rachel) Leatherbury, Chris (Jennifer) Leatherbury, Dave, Dan, Katie, Angie, and Leah Ebben, RoseAnn, Drew (Krissy) and Jacob Ebben; 40 great-grandchildren: Kirk, Cole, and Erin Vander Pas, Alec, Sam, and Kaitlyn Pynenberg, Michael, Nolan, Daniel and Joseph Pynenberg, Gabe and Michael Vanden Heuvel, Ebben Lynn and Matthew Wydeven, Zipporah and Sam Salm, Nico, Bela and Finn Salm, Aubree Salm, Noah and Kolbe Donnermeyer, Landon, Ashlyn, Eve and Isla Vosters, Caroline and Elizabeth Schermerhorn, Ethan Long, Faith Heuer, Taylor Peterson, JP and Evan Leatherbury, Grace, Claire and Lauren Leatherbury, and Elijah, Gabriella, and Faith Ebben; brothers Hank (Jean) Hendricks; sisters Theresa Schmidt, Angela (Sylvester) Geurts; and sisters-in-law Mary Jane Hendricks and Gladys Hendricks.

Inez was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, two grandchildren: Brooke Leatherbury and Roman Peter Salm; brothers Ed, Art, and Leo Hendricks; sisters Min Hietpas and Loretta Diedrich; sisters- and brothers-in-law Martha Hendricks, Peter Hietpas, Les Diedrich, Joe Schmidt, Peter (Mayme) Ebben, Martha (Peter) Janssen, Chris (Sophia) Ebben, Simon (Marie) Ebben, Ceil Van Asten, Catherine (Bernie) Van Zeeland, Tina Van Zeeland, Justina (Ferdinand) Bowers and Art (Agnes) Ebben.

Funeral services will be at 5 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 19 at ST. JOHN NEPOMUCENE CATHOLIC CHURCH (323 S. Pine St. Little Chute) with the Rev. Msgr. James Vanden Hogen presiding. Interment will be at St. John Cemetery, Little Chute. Friends may call at the church from 2 p.m. until the time of the service. For on-line condolences, please visit www.oconnellfh.com. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Southern Dominican Provincial COSS, Attn: Fr. Bert Ebben or Haven of Hope.

Mother, gentle lamb, by your example you taught us what St. Paul wrote: "Love is patient, love is kind…. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails" (1 Cor. 13: 4, 7-8). At our birth, you welcomed us to this earthly life, and with Jesus, you will welcome us into the next. We celebrate your return to Him. May you find the perfect joy that awaits you in heaven.

Inez and the family would like to thank her dedicated caregivers, Lisa, Julie, and Mary, for their faithful service as well as Pat for her years of devoted friendship. We would also like to thank Cherry Meadows and Brewster Village for making her final weeks both comfortable and content.