Eugene D. ENABNIT

ENABNIT, HANKS, MARTIN, RUTER, ROSE, VAN NICE, VANNICE, LEIKAM, ALSUP, DAHLEN, YOUNGER, PATTON, WINTERS, NORTON, JUHL, ENABNIT-JUHL, DAVIS, ENABNIT-DAVIS

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 2/21/2009 at 11:24:00

June 1, 2003
Mason City Globe Gazette, Iowa

NORA SPRINGS, IOWA — Eugene D. Enabnit, 80, of Marshalltown, formerly of Nora Springs, died Thursday (May 29, 2003) at the Iowa Veteran’s Home in Marshalltown. His funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Faith Baptist Church, 1807 S. Kentucky Ave., Mason City, with the Rev. Miles Grismore officiating. Interment will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery, Mason City. Visitation will be held from 5 until 8 p.m. today at Hogan-Bremer-Moore Colonial Chapel, 126 Third Street N.E., Mason City, and will continue one hour prior to the service at the church. Memorials may be directed to the Gene Enabnit Memorial Fund, 19316 Yucca Ave., Nora Springs, IA 50458.

Gene was born March 23, 1923, in Meservey, Iowa, a son of David Edward and Doris Olive (Hanks) Enabnit. He attended school in both Meservey and Clear Lake. Gene was united in marriage to June J. Martin on April 19, 1942, at St. James Lutheran Church in Mason City. He was inducted into the United States Army and completed his education during ICC camp. Gene served in General George S. Patton’s Third Army in both France and Germany during World War II, where he was wounded in action. He operated as a military observer behind occupied enemy lines, using radio communication to report back to his unit and received two Bronze Stars for his service. After his honorable discharge, he returned to the north Iowa area to own and operate Gene Enabnit Trucking for nearly 30 years. During this time he also worked at the Sugar Beet Plant in Mason City for nearly 10 years. Gene also farmed near Hanlontown, Mason City, and Nora Springs for 13 years. The couple moved to Redding, Iowa, in 1974 and then Gene returned to Nora Springs to live with his son and daughter-in-law in 1999. He moved to the Iowa Veteran’s Home in Marshalltown in 2000 due to failing health. Gene had a passion for music, learning to play the harmonica at age four and playing the organ and piano by ear for many years. He played in several bands across southern Iowa and enjoyed entertaining the residents of the Veteran’s Home with his music. Gene loved animals, raising cattle and goats on his farms and training horses and dogs for many years. He was a very faithful and giving person, who received a Sate of Iowa Volunteer Award from Gov. Terry Branstad in 1990.

Eugene is survived by three daughters, Karen Ruter of Mason City, Pam (Tom) Rose of Mason City, and Connie (Dennis) Van Nice of Midland, Texas; two sons, Roger (JoAnn) Enabnit of Nora Springs, and Marty (Sarah) Enabnit of Manly; 13 grandchildren, Joshua Enabnit, Jenny Enabnit, Terri Leikam, Chris Alsup, Gene Dahlen, Patty Dahlen, Scott Rose, Jeff Rose, Wendy Rose, Michelle Younger, Donovan VanNice, Daniel VanNice and Melanie Patton, 18 great-grandchildren, Trevor Leikam, Chelsea Alsup, Brandon Alsup, Rachel Alsup, Jacob Rose, Joshua Rose, Alyssa Rose, Laura Rose, Cody Rose, Jordan Rose, Gary Winters, Amber Winters, Alaina Younger, Maya Younger, Kelsee Norton, Abbie VanNice, Issac Srubar, and Kaitlyn VanNice; one sister, Ruth Enabnit-Juhl of Mason City; and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; an infant daughter, Rosemar; a brother, Everett Enabnit; and a sister, Rachel Enabnit-Davis. Hogan-Bremer-Moore Colonial Chapel.