Gordon Murray Ensley

Gordon Murray Ensley, age 88, of Colony, Kansas, died on Sunday, June 29, 2008, at the Anderson County Long Term Care Facility in Garnett, Kansas. Gordon was born on October 15, 1919, at Colony, Kansas, the son of William Joseph Ensley and Nellie (Murray) Ensley. He grew up in the Colony area, graduating from Colony High School in 1937. Gordon served in the U.S. Army during WWII. He was united in marriage to Ruth Maxine Swender on December 25, 1940, in Kincaid, Kansas. This union was blessed with four children. Gordon had a passion for life -work- and family. He never lost interest in learning new and better ways of accomplishing a task. He was an avid reader with a great mind. His first love was construction and second was farming. He loved to see things grow, crops planted, harvest time, and cattle in the pasture all could bring satisfaction. Gordon began his construction career in pipeline construction in the central U.S. He left to join the Army in 1944 and worked with construction clean up in Hawaii after WWII. His work career after leaving the Army in 1946 was with John McAdam Construction, which awakened his interest in owning his own construction company. He started with one truck in 1948. (1948-1960) Next step was with Murray Limestone Company of Pleasanton, Kansas; (1960-1967) Where he worked on sites such as the Keystone Reservoir, Oolagh Dam, and Broken Bow Dam in Oklahoma. Gordon then worked for M&R Farms (1967-1974) Centerville, Kansas in a farm management position. Last of all Neosho Construction Company (1974-1994) where he started a new career in Railroad Construction and bridge building at age 55. Just the right age to take on something new. He was forced into retirement at age 75 due to a work related injury. Gordon had a great mind and heart with the gift of making each of us feel unique, special and loved. Gordon was preceded in death by his parents; one daughter, Marita McDiffett; and two sisters, Leota Wynn and Wilma Jean Roush. He is survived by his wife, Ruth of the home; one son, Gordon Lawrence (Larry) Ensley and wife Pauline of Lakeview, Oregon; two daughters, Brenda Thexton and husband Richard of Stella, Missouri; Susan Mills and husband James of Arkansas City, Kansas; one brother, Tom Ensley and wife Maxine of Colony, Kansas; one sister, Doris Hobelman of Colony, Kansas; fifteen grandchildren; fifty-five great grandchildren.