Obituary for Veronica Louise "Roni" Ebensteiner (Walz)
Veronica (Roni) was born June 30, 1933 in Elrosa, MN to Carl and Gertrude (Woeste) Walz. For such a petite woman who stood 5’1”, she was a force for 88 years. After graduating from high school, Roni ventured to Washington, DC with a high school friend in search of starting an administrative career, but her adventure was short-lived. Because in no time, she was wooed back to central Minnesota by the musical talents of John (Jack) Celestine Ebensteiner. Jack Ebensteiner and his polka band were quite the thing in Sauk Centre, MN, and he was just the thing for Roni. They were married on October 27, 1953, at Our Lady of Angel’s Catholic Church in Sauk Centre and proceeded to do a great job by filling the church pew with four children, David, Karen, Julie and Bryan. During their years in Sauk Centre, then Alexandria before moving to Chanhassen and Chaska MN, Jack and Roni had many lively days together, dinner parties, dances, and great fun with friends and family. And Jack continued to charm her with his musical talents.
A natural leader, Roni started her career working for one of the Bell companies, climbing telephone poles, at least that’s the joke she’d tell. While she didn’t literally climb poles, she did climb the company ladder. Tenacious, hard-working, and driven, she moved from connecting calls into leadership positions, staying with United/Sprint Telephone for 27 years. At the start of her telecommunications career, Roni was a telephone operator, a frame attendant, and the area’s chief operator. If you dialed “0,” for operator assistance, you might have talked to Roni. After years of increasing responsibility, Roni retired as supervisor of the credit department in Chaska.
Never one to sit idle, Roni was a bright go-getter and the backbone of support for her family. You’d find her at 6:00 am Saturday morning, knocking at your front door, there to help you lay sod or organize your front closet. She was always, always there, because Roni’s real-life passion was her family. She loved everyone gathered around and she’d have had it 24/7 if possible. She was secretly (and with affection) called “Miss Ellie,” as in the old television series Dallas, where everyone lived together in one big house on the ranch. That would have been ideal for Roni. Her favorite moments were when all the grandkids were young, wild, and running around her house on the weekend. That pandemonium was absolute bliss for her. By the way, lest you think she was a saint, she was also secretly called “Miss Instant Pudding” because she didn’t enjoy “waiting.” As you can imagine, she loved the microwave.
Roni is preceded in death by her wonderful husband, Jack Ebensteiner (March 10, 2005); parents Carl and Gertrude Walz; stepmother Ann Walz; brothers Ervin, Nobert, Virgil Walz; sisters, Eleanor Schwieters, Donna Spaeth; sisters-in-law, Erma, Ione, Kathleen Walz, Eileen Fritzlar; brothers-in-law, Norbert Schwieters, Roy Spaeth, Henry Evans, and Donald Fritzlar.
She is survived by her adoring children, David (Jay) of Waconia, MN; Karen (Larry Coon) of Leesburg FL; Julie (David Kreemer) of Eden Prairie, MN; Bryan (Jo-Anne) of Palm Springs, CA; 10 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren; her sister, Marion Evans of Sauk Centre; her brother, Melvin (Arlene) Walz of Zimmerman; and many nieces and nephews.
Mass of Christian Burial 11 AM Wednesday June 30, 2021 at St. Hubert Catholic Community, 8201 Main Street, Chanhassen, with visitation starting at 10 AM. Interment St. Hubert Catholic Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorials made to the Alzheimer Association.
A natural leader, Roni started her career working for one of the Bell companies, climbing telephone poles, at least that’s the joke she’d tell. While she didn’t literally climb poles, she did climb the company ladder. Tenacious, hard-working, and driven, she moved from connecting calls into leadership positions, staying with United/Sprint Telephone for 27 years. At the start of her telecommunications career, Roni was a telephone operator, a frame attendant, and the area’s chief operator. If you dialed “0,” for operator assistance, you might have talked to Roni. After years of increasing responsibility, Roni retired as supervisor of the credit department in Chaska.
Never one to sit idle, Roni was a bright go-getter and the backbone of support for her family. You’d find her at 6:00 am Saturday morning, knocking at your front door, there to help you lay sod or organize your front closet. She was always, always there, because Roni’s real-life passion was her family. She loved everyone gathered around and she’d have had it 24/7 if possible. She was secretly (and with affection) called “Miss Ellie,” as in the old television series Dallas, where everyone lived together in one big house on the ranch. That would have been ideal for Roni. Her favorite moments were when all the grandkids were young, wild, and running around her house on the weekend. That pandemonium was absolute bliss for her. By the way, lest you think she was a saint, she was also secretly called “Miss Instant Pudding” because she didn’t enjoy “waiting.” As you can imagine, she loved the microwave.
Roni is preceded in death by her wonderful husband, Jack Ebensteiner (March 10, 2005); parents Carl and Gertrude Walz; stepmother Ann Walz; brothers Ervin, Nobert, Virgil Walz; sisters, Eleanor Schwieters, Donna Spaeth; sisters-in-law, Erma, Ione, Kathleen Walz, Eileen Fritzlar; brothers-in-law, Norbert Schwieters, Roy Spaeth, Henry Evans, and Donald Fritzlar.
She is survived by her adoring children, David (Jay) of Waconia, MN; Karen (Larry Coon) of Leesburg FL; Julie (David Kreemer) of Eden Prairie, MN; Bryan (Jo-Anne) of Palm Springs, CA; 10 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren; her sister, Marion Evans of Sauk Centre; her brother, Melvin (Arlene) Walz of Zimmerman; and many nieces and nephews.
Mass of Christian Burial 11 AM Wednesday June 30, 2021 at St. Hubert Catholic Community, 8201 Main Street, Chanhassen, with visitation starting at 10 AM. Interment St. Hubert Catholic Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorials made to the Alzheimer Association.