Robert Timothy Ebenreiter ’69

Tim, a dedicated husband, father, grandfather, mentor, and friend, died Jan. 26, 2023, at home in Sheboygan, Wis. Tim’s fight with cancer was marked by his determination to live every day to its fullest with family and friends. During his final illness, for instance, Tim trucked grape juice for his daughter’s winery and checked off a bucket list item by driving heavy machinery. 

As student council president at North High School in Sheboygan, Tim was awarded a gavel engraved “Bridge Builder,” a theme that helped define his life. At Princeton, he majored in economics and ate at Colonial. He was especially proud of his work on The Daily Princetonian and as a founding member of the Bubble Men, a dorm soda delivery service. 

Following graduation, Tim moved to Washington to work with Donald Rumsfeld ’54 in the newly created Office of Minority Business Enterprise. He then joined his father in Sheboygan at EBCO Furniture, a family business that manufactured hotel, military, hospital, and college dormitory furniture. When the company closed in 1988, Tim changed countless lives by creating opportunities for small businesses through EBCO Venture Center, turning the 80,000-square-foot EBCO warehouse into incubator spaces. 

In 1990, Tim married Diane Schmidt Bricco. Together they traveled the world, visiting 33 countries. Motivated by his strong sense of social justice, Tim made 13 trips to Haiti, helping to develop water systems and fish ponds.

Tim is survived by Diane; his daughters, Anne and Elizabeth; Elizabeth’s husband, Ian; and grandchildren Avery, Claire, George, Eloise, and Jack.