March 27, 1935 – January 2, 2021

Lois Claire Ebel, 85, of La Grande, passed away on Saturday, January 2, 2021, at her son’s residence. A Private Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, January 16, 2021, at 10 a.m. The service will be livestreamed. If you would like to watch, go to lovelandfuneralchapel.com and click on the “Funeral Videos” button near the bottom of the home page just before 10 a.m.

Lois was born on March 27, 1935, in Cleveland, Ohio, to Lewis and Florence (Waltjun) Kline. After graduating from high school, Lois attended Western Reserve University Nursing School, graduating with a bachelor’s degree. Later, she attended Realty School and earned her Broker’s License. Lois was married to John David Ebel, from December 23, 1956, until his passing in 1992. She then married her long-time friend Bill Gilliam in 2005.

Lois traveled extensively following her careers, first as a trauma nurse and later as the owner of a real estate company, Lois Ebel and Associates Realty, Forest Grove, Oregon, and for Valley Realty in La Grande. She was awarded the top 200 Real Estate Companies in the United States through ERA and was President of the Chamber of Commerce in Forest Grove. As a nurse, in the late 1960s and early 70s, Lois was heavily influenced by the work of Elizabeth Kubler Ross, and was part of the first wave of medical professionals to embrace the concept of a “good death.” After moving to Oregon, she co-founded one of the first hospices in the state.

Lois will be remembered as a loving wife, mother and grandmother who embraced and lived the values of her faith throughout the many challenges and successes of her life, and she will be deeply missed. She loved serving people, playing bridge, poker and playing other card and board games with her children and grandchildren. She loved to take walks and enjoyed golf for a period of time. She was the Elder and Deacon at the First Presbyterian Church in La Grande. She was a member of PEO, her sorority and La Grande Country Club. Lois was the first woman to join Rotary Club in Oregon.

While there were many things in life that were important to Lois, the greatest of these were her Christian faith, her family, and of course her animal companions.