LuVerne Ensley

LuVerne William [Lou] Ensley, 95, from Ogden, IA passed Wednesday, November 18, 2020 at the Israel Family Hospice House in Ames of complications due to a stroke.

The only child born to George W. and Edith (Junck) Ensley on September 5, 1925 in Boone, IA, Lou followed his father into farming north of Ogden.

Lou was just 16 when Pearl Harbor was attacked. He joined the Coast Guard on Armistice Day, November 11, 1943, hauling ammo and supplies between South Pacific sites. They were in Pearl Harbor preparing for invasion when Japan surrendered. Lou left the service as a Motormac (motor machinist) 3rd class, MoM3/C.

Returning to Boone after the war, Lou met and married Mildred (Milly) Roisen on March 28, 1948. Lou farmed in rural Boone County, raising cattle, hogs and grain. With Milly beside him, they raised three sons (George, Bob, and David) and a daughter (Linda). In 2016, part of this farm was recognized as an Iowa Heritage Farm after 150 years of the same family planting and harvesting on the same land.

Lou and Milly worked hard and traveled often. Trips to Europe, including Iceland, Norway, Germany and England were mixed with journeys to Alaska, Hawaii, Australia, Fiji, Japan, Hong Kong and China.

In 1982 Lou and Milly moved from the farm into Ogden, where they were surrounded by six grandchildren, until Milly lost her battle to brain cancer in October 1987. Lou continued to travel and set up a winter residence in Arizona.

As a Grandpa, he inspired the love of adventure with his grandchildren, taking all three sets on fantastic trips to National Parks out West and up through Canada and Alaska.

In May 1995, Lou married Elizabeth Meyer, a sweetheart from his Coast Guard days 50 years before. For 11 years they enjoyed their lives together, traveling and dancing, until, once again, cancer stole his wife and Elizabeth passed in March 2006.

Visit Foster Funeral Home by clicking here.