David Robert Ebel

David Robert Ebel, a former executive at the Mayo Foundation, died on April 7 at Seasons Hospice in Rochester, four months after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He was 74 years old. Compassionate, generous and devoted in all aspects of his life, David will be missed sorely by his family, friends and colleagues.

David was born in Detroit, Mich., to Robert Louis and Hazel June Ebel on May 23, 1940. After a childhood spent mostly in Iowa City, Iowa, he earned a B.A. in economics at Harvard and an M.A. in economics at Yale. During his studies, he sang with the Harvard Glee Club, the Harvard Krokodiloes, and the Yale Russian Chorus.

David spent four years in the navy during the Vietnam War, then began his career in finance, working first at Arthur Andersen and later at the Dayton Hudson Corporation in Minneapolis. In 1986, David began working for the Mayo Clinic, and eventually became chief financial officer and treasurer of the Mayo Foundation. He was immediately attracted to the energy and the professionalism of Mayo, and to the many ways that his expertise in finance could support the institution. David embraced the Clinic fully.

David's retirement from Mayo in 2006 marked the beginning of a second career as an interim chief financial officer for Stanford Hospital and Clinic in Palo Alto, Calif.; Billings Clinic in Billings, Montana; Lake Health in Cleveland, Ohio; and Pro Health in Waukesha, Wis.; and as a consultant with the Warbird Group in Atlanta, Georgia.

Wherever David worked, he brought a rare mixture of professionalism, inquisitiveness and kindness. He will be remembered by all who worked with him as a model of integrity, a steady hand in crisis, and an advocate of a diverse workplace. Through all of his hours of work both in the office and at home, he found time for family, friends, golf, choral singing, gardening, travel, and the work of maintaining a lake retreat in Wisconsin. He also served on several boards, including Colonial Church of Edina, the Rochester Art Center, the Choral Arts Ensemble, and the Hennepin County Medical Center.

David is survived by his wife, Holly; by sons and daughters-in-law, Gregory and Jennifer Ebel of Fort Collins, Colo.; Jonathan and Meredith Ebel of Urbana, Ill., and Christopher and Sarah Ebel of Westfield, N.J.; and by 10 grandchildren. He is also survived by sisters, Marnie Albers and Margaret Breece, three nephews, a niece, and a brother- and sister-in-law.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, April 15, at First Presbyterian Church in Rochester.

Though the world is a poorer place without him, David's legacy in Rochester and in the Twin Cities will continue in myriad ways.

Please send memorials in David's name to Seasons Hospice, 1696 Greenview Drive SW, Rochester, MN 55902; the Choral Arts Ensemble, 1001 14th Street NW, Suite 900, Rochester, MN 55901; or First Presbyterian Church, 512 Third Street SW, Rochester, MN 55902.

Interment will be at Fort Snelling at a later date.