OBITUARY

Warren Edward Ensor

Posted



Known locally as “the jam man,” Warren Edward Ensor died in a car crash near his Lakebay home July 6. He sold homemade jellies, horseradish and bread to benefit Ashes, the volunteer auxiliary KP fire department group, to support fire and accident victims. 

Warren was born Oct. 3, 1945 in Peru, Illinois. After graduating from high school, he joined the U.S. Navy and served on a mine sweeper during the Vietnam War. He left the Navy in 1970 and went to work for the railroad in Illinois and then for the Department of Corrections in 1973. He retired as a correction captain from the Sheridan Correction Center in 1999.

In 1982, Warren went on a blind date in Ottawa, Illinois, with Peggy Adams. They were married in 1993 and moved to Lakebay in 2000 to be with Peggy’s mother. Warren called the Key Peninsula “God’s country” and said he would never leave.

Warren worked at KP Community Services from 2001 to 2009, first as a volunteer and later as an employee. He then became involved in Peggy’s volunteer work for Ashes, selling the jams and breads she and her mother made. Peggy was still working full-time then and finally taught Warren how to make his own products to sell, and he loved it.

His blackberry and pepper jellies, horseradish and banana bread, were well known and Warren was recognized near and far, even in a hospital corridor in Seattle where an employee stopped him once to say, “Hey, you’re the jelly man.” 

Warren is survived by his wife, Peggy, daughter Shaila, and son Dion; by his brothers, Richard, Michael and Edward; his sisters, Sally and Michaelina; and by eight grandchildren and one great-granddaughter. The KP fire department honored his service at a ceremony in July. A memorial will be held August 23, 1 p.m., at Grace Church in Home. Remembrances may be left in the Ashes drop box at KP fire headquarters in Key Center.


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