Merle H. Ensz was born on February 23, 1930, to Jacob and Margaret Hiebert Ensz. On November 25, 2020, in the early afternoon hours of a grey autumn day he received his summons to the Great Beyond. He slipped away as quietly as a falling leaf to rest securely in Mother Earth until that last great day when God gathers all His children home. Merle lived with his parents and brother and sister on the family farm at Inman, Kansas until age 14 when the family moved to Chihuahua, Mexico. Here he learned the Spanish language, which greatly enriched his life by opening the door to many interesting experiences and travel throughout his life. The area needed a medical clinic to serve the native people and Merle’s dream to work in the medical field was fulfilled when at the age of 19 he attended Missionary Medical School in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was during this period of his life that he met and married Ethelyn Litwiller at Ithaca, Michigan. Upon their return to Mexico to serve in the clinic, it soon became apparent that Ethelyn’s health was unsuited to the high altitude. Back to Michigan they went where their first child, a daughter Marilee, was born. Merle was an adventurous and confident man with a pioneer mentality, seeking out less developed and settled areas to reside. At age 22, he moved with his wife and 6 month old daughter to the Stapleton, Georgia area. Together with Reno Hibner and Marvin Fricke, a large tract of land was purchased and divided among them and the Pinecrest congregation was begun. It was here that his two sons, David and Edward were born. In 1960, the family moved to the Harrison community in the northwoods of Michigan. His first job there was cutting and clearing trees so the four lane Hwy US 27 could be built. Merle held many jobs in his lifetime, dairyman, salesman, lumberyard manager, and lastly realtor. In 1968 he moved with his family to Albuquerque, New Mexico to serve in the mission there. They returned to their home in Harrison and remained there until the early 80’s when they moved downstate to Ithaca. Again, Merle’s adventurous spirit surfaced and he bought an acreage consisting mostly of trees where he and Ethelyn built a house. This became his final home. In 1994, after 44 years of marriage, Ethelyn passed away. God eased Merle’s loneliness when he led him to his second wife, Janet Litwiller. They shared 25 years and many adventures together, which included serving in two Boy’s Units and a year and a half in the Philippines. Merle was a natural leader with a genuine interest in people. He loved to be helpful and he made the world a better place by generously donating his time and talents to family, friends and neighbors as well as many foreign countries, where his gift for diplomacy proved to be a valuable asset. He was baptized into the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite as a young man and his walk with the Lord was important and meaningful to him and he endeavored to serve God faithfully throughout his long life. Those left with loving memories are his wife, Janet, daughter Marilee and Joseph Thompson Perrinton, Michigan, sons David and Esther, Detroit, Texas and Edward and Nichelle Heintzelman, Harrison, Michigan, 11 grandchildren, 20 great grandchildren and 2 step great grandchildren. One brother, Eldon, Gibson, Georgia, one sister, Geraldine Schneider, Moundridge, Kansas, and one foster sister., Trini Lopez Ramirez Merle was preceded in death by his parents, parents-in-law, his first wife Ethelyn, an infant son, two infant granddaughters and one infant great grandson. Funeral services were held Saturday, November 28, 2020, at 10 A.M. at the Wildwood Mennonite Church Perrinton, Michigan with Ministers Jeff Litwiller and Mike Litwiller officiating. He was laid to rest in the Hayes Road Cemetery. Donations in Merle’s memory may be made to Heartland Hospice Mt. Pleasant. Michigan.