Mark Ebbing

Mark R. Ebbing was born August 25, 1955, in Quincy, IL, a son of Raymond and Margaret
Ebbing. He married Penny L. Hess on August 11, 1978, in St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Mt.
Sterling. He attended Brown County High School and resided in Brown County his entire life.
Mark was active in his faith as a member of Holy Family Catholic Church in Mt. Sterling.
Survivors include his wife Penny, his two children Lucas Ebbing (Jenny) and Alex Ebbing
(Tolly) all of Mt. Sterling. Four grandchildren Madison, Olivia, Boyd, and Greer Ebbing also
survive. Other survivors include his six siblings, Russell E. Ebbing (Karen) of Shelbina, MO,
Gerald E. Ebbing (Diane) of Quincy, IL, Richard H. Ebbing (Kathy) of Mt. Sterling, IL, Glen L.
Ebbing (Becky) of Quincy, IL, Barbara A. Kozak (Jeff) of Mt. Sterling, IL, and Paul J. Ebbing
(Sheila) of Springfield, IL. He is also survived by his mother-in-law, Patricia Etter, of Mt.
Sterling and numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Mark spent his career as a lifelong farmer in Brown County. In 1960, his father bought the farm
where Mark and his siblings were raised. He lived there until 1978 when he married Penny
Hess. Mark continued to farm with his father and in 1984 he and Penny moved to the farmhouse
and his parents moved to town. Mark and Penny raised their boys on the farm. Mark’s work
ethic, grit, and passion for building the farm were seen through his meticulous attention to detail
in all aspects of the operation. In 1989, he started selling seed for Pioneer Hybrids and obtained
certification as a Certified Crop Advisor. He was able to grow his territory and adjust to the
changing demands of agriculture while keeping consumer satisfaction and small-town values as
his focus.
Mark’s number one priority in life, other than his faith, was his family. He focused on creating
the best life for them, while also teaching them the value of hard work, dedication, and
perseverance. Education was important to him and he was proud his children earned college
degrees.
In 2013, he received his greatest title, “Papa”, as he welcomed his first grandchildren into the
world. Mark’s four grandchildren were his proudest accomplishment. He loved being with them
on the farm, going for Ranger rides, planting pumpkins, watching them play sports, and judging
gymnastics moves in his living room. In 2017, everything came full circle when his children and
their families came back to build their homes on the family farm. He loved his grandchildren
being able to come visit “Nene and Papa’s” house whenever they wanted.
He also enjoyed being outdoors, coon hunting, keeping the farm and yard in pristine condition,
watching the Brown County Hornets and Illini sports. He was also active in many community
organizations. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus Council 1281, Brown County
Hunter’s Association and served many years on the Brown County Fire Protection District.
Mark was well known for his humor, jokes, quick thinking, and ability to make people laugh.
His battle with ALS brought many challenges the past few years, which he endured with dignity
for the sake of his family, all the while continuing to be the best Papa to his grandchildren. On

Tuesday, February 27, 2024, at 11:50 a.m. Mark won his battle against ALS. With his family by
his side, he entered Heaven where we know he will continue to watch over us.

A funeral mass will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, March 4, 2024 in the Holy Family Catholic Church with Father Aaron Kuhn and Deacon Paul Koch officiating.  

Burial will follow in the Mt. Sterling Catholic Cemetery. 

Visitation will be from 2:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. on Sunday at the Hendricker Funeral Home in Mt. Sterling.  

Memorials are suggested to St. Mary’s School or Brown County Community Unit School District # 1 Athletics. 

Condolences for the family may be left on line at hendrickerfuneralhome.com. 

The Hendricker Funeral Home in Mt. Sterling is assisting the family with the arrangements. 

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Mark Ebbing, please visit our floral store.