Tributes paid to Exmouth man who died on Xmas Eve

Tributes have been paid to Obie Ebanks, the Exmouth man who was tragically killed on Christmas Eve in a traffic accident on the A30 near Honiton. It is thought that his car may have aquaplaned on water that had spilt out onto the road between Rawridge and Monkton, although investigation is still under way.

A keen chess player at the Exmouth Chess Club, Obie had been living in Exmouth after moving to the town from Leytonstone in East London. After a period of unemployment, he had recently got work as a hospital car driver for the South West Ambulance Service.

His two abiding hobbies were said to be chess and boxing. He had been a member of the Repton Club, England’s most famous training establishment, the base for many champions. Obie’s amateur career started well, winning his first 20 fights, but his 21st was his first taste of defeat and he retired from serious competition thereafter. However, he maintained a fitness regime for the rest of his life. He leaves two sons, Obie jr. and Levy, his mother aged 78, and two sisters and two brothers, one of whom, Kim, lived in Exeter until very recently.

The funeral will be held at Exeter Crematorium on Thursday 10th January, starting at 2.00pm.