Joel Ebert, 69, of Ackley, Iowa, passed away Sunday, April 21, 2013, at his home under the care of Cedar Valley Hospice. Funeral services for Joel Ebert will be 10:30 am Saturday, April 27, 2013, at Our Saviour's Lutheran Church, 121 Prospect Drive, Ackley, Iowa. Prayer service and a video presentation will be from 6:00 - 6:30, with an open time of visitation and sharing from 6:30 to 8:30 pm Friday evening at the Linn's Funeral Home, 903 Cerro Gordo Avenue, Ackley, Iowa. Memorials may be directed to the family c/o his wife: Sue Ebert, 1310 Main Street, Ackley, Iowa 50601 to be distributed to Joel's favorite charities. Burial will be at the St. John's Church Cemetery, Clarence, Iowa. The Linn's Funeral Homes Ackley Chapel has been entrusted with the arrangements.

Joel Wynn Ebert was born on April 27, 1943, in Iowa City to Vivian (Voss) and Norbert Ebert. During his early years the family lived on a farm near Clarence and at age 5 they moved into Clarence. As a child Joel loved to entertain older neighbors and relatives with puppet shows from the puppets he made himself. As a teenager he worked at the local grocery store and also mowed lawns to earn money. He enjoyed spending time with his dad fishing, trapping, and hunting with their dog Rusty. In high school he was placed in charge of the school media equipment, a position he was very proud of. In 1961 he graduated from Clarence High School and entered college that fall from what was then the State College of Iowa (UNI). He earned his Bachelor's degree and began his teaching career in Waterloo, Iowa, where he taught 5th and 6th grade science. Later he earned his Master's Degree from UNI and became a Vice Principal and later Principal in the Waterloo School District. During his last years in Waterloo he was the District Curriculum Director and Director of Title 1 for the public and parochial schools.

Joel was married to Susan (Sue) Klaksvik on August 9, 1969 at Tingvold Lutheran church at Underwood, Minnesota. They met while both were teaching in Waterloo. To this union were born 3 children: Chad, Kara, and Clark. In 1980 the family moved from LaPorte City where they had lived for 9 years, to Algona. Here Joel was principal at Lucia Wallace School and Curriculum Director for the public and parochial schools. In 1987 the Eberts moved to Iowa Falls, and Joel became the first state funded shared school district curriculum director for Alden, Iowa Falls, and Ackley. Here the Ebert kids graduated from high school and Sue taught at Ellsworth Community College. When the 7 year contract for this position ended Joel became the principal at Ackley Elementary School and Curriculum Director for Ackley Geneva Wellsburg Steamboat Rock (AGWSR). He returned to UNI to earn his Specialist Degree in Curriculum and Design. He retired in 2002 and then worked part-time doing grant writing for AGWSR. Joel was an active Lion for 39 years and was proud of the service this group provided. He loved his chosen profession and the opportunity to influence thousands of elementary age kids in his 37 years in education. He was always an advocate for those who needed extra help, struggled with learning, or those learning English as a new language. His goal was to make learning fun and challenge students to be the best that they could be. Joel served as a 4-H leader in Algona. He also strived to be a positive role model for any child that he knew. Good values, honesty, and kindness were important lessons to be taught, he felt. His grandkids will long remember the science experiments he did with them when they came to visit. Joel was very active in the Lutheran Church in every community he lived in. He was church council president at Our Saviour's Lutheran Church for a term. He also served on various community boards in each community he lived in. Following retirement Joel and Sue became the directors of the "Ventures" travel club of Peoples Savings Bank of Wellsburg. This was a part-time retirement job they loved. They planned and escorted tours all over the world as well as more local concerts and events. They enjoyed getting to know the travelers and experiencing more of what they loved to do, which was travel. When the kids were little, every summer the family headed out with their camping equipment to experience a new part of the United States. For 9 summers Joel attended summer sessions at Western State College of Colorado in Gunnison. Besides the learning, Joel led the family on all kinds of adventures including ghost town hunting and panning for gold. Travel was part of the Ebert life for 43 years. They visited all 50 states and 23 foreign countries learning and experiencing different cultures and seeing the sites. Joel was a dedicated Christian man who loved the Lord and trusted in the belief of salvation through grace alone and faith in our risen Lord Jesus Christ. His family saw this faith their entire life. Joel is survived by his wife Sue; children Chad (Sara) Ebert of Courtland, Minnesota, Kara (Michael) Short of Rochester, Minnesota, and Clark (Shary) Ebert of Riceville, Iowa. Grandchildren are Erika and Jenna Ebert, Layne, Jace and Addison Short, and Aidan and Asher Ebert as well as a grandchild due in September. He is also survived by a sister; Linda Hines of Clarence, sister-in-law Mary (Roger) Farsdale, brother-in-law Donald (Sandy) Klaksvik and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and an infant brother Scott. Joel will long be remembered by his family, friends, fellow Lions, teaching staff, and church family. Blessed be the memory of Joel!