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The Rev. Warren Ebinger, 85, a retired pastor in the Baltimore-Washington Conference, died Jan. 6 of cardiac arrest. The Rev. Rachel Cornwell officiated at a memorial service Jan. 11, 2013, at Woodside UMC, where he was pastor emeritus. Other clergy participating were the Revs. Cynthia Moore, District Superintendent;Kirkland Reynolds; James Farmer and Susan Hallager.

Warren Ralph Ebinger was a native of Effingham, Ill., and a 1951 sociology graduate of North Central College in Naperville, Ill. He received a master’s degree from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in 1953 and a doctorate in sociology from American University in 1977.

He served in the Army Medical Corps in the late 1940s.

Prior to coming to the Baltimore-Washington Conference, Ebinger served churches in Illinois., beginning in 1949. He came to Washington in 1967 to work as Assistant General Secretary for the General Board of Church & Society. In 1977, he was appointed pastor of Woodside UMC where he served until 1982 when he became superintendent of the Frederick District. In 1988, he was appointed to Severna Park UMC and  remained there until his retirement in 1997. After retirement he returned to Woodside UMC, serving in several ways as pastor emeritus.

He and Mary Ritzman were married in 1952. They had three children who survive.

In 2002, the Ebingers moved to Asbury Village in Gaithersburg, where they lived at the time of his death.

Survivors include his wife of 61 years; Jonathan Ebinger of Palo Alto, Calif., Lee Ebinger of Fairfax, Va., and  Lori E. Lear of Naperville, Ill.; and three granddaughters.

Condolences may be sent to Mary Ebinger, 407 Russell Ave., Apt. 405, Gaithersburg, MD 20877. I

Memorial contributions may be made to the Asbury Benevolent Care Fund, 201 Russell Ave., Gaithersburg, MD 20877.