People across the Virgin Islands mourned this weekend the death of Victor L. Ebbesen Sr., a tennis great who spent much of his life serving the V.I. government.
Ebbesen died Thursday, Feb. 6, at Roy L. Schneider Regional Medical Center on St. Thomas after a short illness. He was 88.
“He was a caring and true Virgin Islander who was always there for each one of us,” said his daughter, Patrice Harley, of St. John.
Another daughter, Jeanette Ebbesen Johnson, said her father stood for integrity.
“And he was a stalwart in helping children develop in tennis,” Johnson said, noting that he often made the trip to St. John to help the island’s children learn the sport.
According to a Government House press release, after his retirement Ebbesen spent many hours playing tennis at Cowpet Bay Tennis Courts. He bought the inventory of the pro shop and his wife became the shop’s office manager.
He represented the Virgin Islands in many tournaments. His prominence as a tennis player did not go unnoticed and he was inducted into the African-American Ethnic and Caribbean Sports Hall of Fame in 2002. The St. Thomas Racquet Club named its tournament the "Vic Ebbesen Tennis Tournament" in his honor.
He is also survived by a son, Victor Ebbesen Jr., as well as his brother Jean and sisters Angel Wheatley, Leona Bryant and Grace Hazgenson and numerous grandchildren.
After a long career in the local government, Ebbesen became a professional tennis player. Harley said he initially played singles but teamed with Leo Barbel to play doubles.
“They were the first Virgin Islanders to play in the U.S. open,” Harley said.
She said he also worked as a professional tennis racquet stringer.
He made his mark in government services as the director of personnel, a post he held from 1959 to 1967.
“He was in the forefront of creating the merit system,” Harley said.
Ebbesen went on to head the Maternal and Child Health Divisions, according to the news release from Government House.
Gov. John deJongh Jr. called him a family friend and an admired and respected public servant.
“Cecile and I extend our sympathies to Mr. Ebbesen’s children, his sisters and brother, and all other members of the extended family circle at this very difficult time,” the governor said, referring to his wife, Cecile.
Delegate Donna M. Christensen said Ebbesen will be remembered for his hard work and dedication to civil service here in the Virgin Islands.
“And his commitment to improving the quality of life, not just for government employees, but for all Virgin Islanders,” Christensen said.
Harley said the people of the Virgin Islands were always in his thoughts.
Ebbesen was born on St. Thomas. He graduated from Charlotte Amalie High School in 1944, and received a Forsythe Scholarship to attend Syracuse University in New York. After his freshman year in college, in 1950, he was drafted into the U.S. Army. He returned to Syracuse to 1952, finished his degree in 1955, and then returned to the Virgin Islands and joined government service.
Before being deployed, he married his high school sweetheart, Thelma Leona Oliver, the granddaughter of noted educator E. Benjamin Oliver. The couple was happily married for 61 years, until his wife’s death in 2011.
Harley said funeral arrangements are pending through the Davis funeral home on St. Thomas.
