Robert William “Bob” Ebert

Robert William “Bob” Ebert, 83, died January 28, 2025 in his home after a lengthy battle with cancer.

A Celebration of Life service will be held 11:00 AM, Monday, February 10, 2025 at Solid Rock Church in Midland, GA.with Pastor Jay Bailey. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the church. After the service, a private committal for the family will be held in the mausoleum of Parkhill Cemetery.

Bob was born in Michigan City, Indiana to Ruby Agnes (Wooldridge) Ebert and Virgil Herman Ebert. When he was very young, his parents divorced and his mother remarried to his stepfather, Gerhard Richard Reuer, who raised Bob to adulthood and who he loved dearly. He affectionately referred to him as “Daddy Dutch” and “Pappy”.

Bob grew up in Michigan City and graduated from Isaac C. Elston High School where he was a member of the National Honor Society, participated in various student clubs and organizations, and played football, basketball, and baseball. After graduating from Elston, he attended Colorado School of Mines on a football scholarship and walked on and started on the junior varsity basketball team.

After one year in Colorado, Bob transferred to Indiana University where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree. While at Indiana, Bob walked on to the baseball team and played for one season. He was a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity serving one term as the chapter president as well as the chapter’s representative on the Inter-Fraternity Council. He also participated in Indiana University’s Army ROTC Program and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant, US Army Field Artillery, upon his graduation in 1964.

As an Army officer, he served in various command and staff positions in the Republic of Korea, the Continental United States, and the Republic of Vietnam, earning various awards and decorations to include the Army Commendation Medal, the Air Medal, and the Combat Infantryman’s Badge. While serving at Ft. Benning, Georgia in 1969, Bob met and married his wife, Judith “Judi” Cope Ebert.

After separation from active duty in 1972, with the rank of Captain, he and Judi remained in Columbus where he was hired as a hospital claims supervisor by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Columbus, Georgia. He remained with the Blue Cross and Blue Shield system for the next thirty-three years, surviving various reorganizations, mergers and acquisitions. He retired in 2005 as the Vice President Privacy Officer of Wellpoint Health Networks.

During his employment with Blue Cross and Blue Shield, he earned a Master of Business Administration degree and a Master of Education degree from Columbus State University. He was a graduate of Leadership Columbus, was a member of the Columbus Jaycees, and was one of the last group of Grand Jury appointees to the Muscogee County Board of Education, serving as that body’s First Vice President during his final year on the Board. While on the Board, Bob served on the Finance Committee, was President of the Library Committee, and represented the Board on the School District’s Partners in Education Committee.

In his spare time, Bob enjoyed reading, travel, watching professional and college sports (especially Georgia Bulldog football and Indiana Hoosier football and basketball) and coaching Little League baseball and church youth basketball teams. A lifelong Chicago Cubs fan, one of the highlights of his life was watching the Cubs defeat the Cleveland Indians in the 2016 World Series in the company of his son and grandsons.

Bob was a committed Christian and served as a board member of each church he attended to include North Highland Assembly of God, Evangel Temple Assembly of God, Cornerstone Church of God, and was a founding member of Solid Rock Church where he served on its first Official Board. While attending each church, he actively participated in a variety of activities to include teaching Sunday School, serving on various church committees, participating in church softball and basketball, and appearing in many of the Christian dramas produced and directed by his wife, Judi.

Bob is survived by his loving wife of 54 years, Judith Ann “Judi” Cope Ebert of Cataula, Georgia; one son, Jon Marc Ebert (Melissa) and two grandsons, William Brantley Ebert and James Marc Ebert of Fortson, Georgia, all of whom he loved deeply, along with many cousins, nieces, and nephews. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Solid Rock Church Missions Program.