Longtime Borderland resident, Arthur Ennis, passed away peacefully Thursday, May 17, 2012, at the age of 87 in Fairfax, Va.
Art was born in June 1924 in Honolulu, Hawaii, where his father, a career Army-Air Corps officer, was stationed.
After graduation from Walt Whitman High School in Washington, D.C. in 1942, he attended the University of Michigan majoring in forestry. His education was cut short when he was drafted into service as a photo-interpreter. He was part of the team that analyzed photography of the Normandy Beach obstacles, and the potential landing zones for Allied paratroops and glider aircraft. When the war ended, Art returned to Ann Arbor, Mich., to finish his forestry degree.
He also reconnected with his childhood friend, Dorothy Sickel, and married her in 1947.
His first job after graduation was with the Minnesota and Ontario Paper Company in Big Falls.
He and his wife, Dorothy moved to Big Falls in 1947 where over the course of 24 years he managed an experimental forest, conducted forest inventories, served as Big Falls Fire Chief, and spent many years on the Littlefork-Big Falls School Board.
In 1971, Art was transferred to International Falls to take over the assignment of public relations director for Boise Cascade’s International Falls division. It was during this time that a large tract of Boise’s forestland was purchased by the government and turned into Voyageurs National Park.
In 1977, Dorothy passed away and shortly after that, Art retired from Boise Cascade after more than 30 years of service.
Art’s older brother Jim, had died several years earlier, and in 1979 Art relocated to Washington, D.C., and in 1980 married his deceased brother’s wife, Barbara.
Art remained active in the forestry community with the American Society of Foresters, working with Rep. James Oberstar and other legislators on Capitol Hill for a number of years before permanently retiring in the early 90s.
Art is survived by his wife, Barbara; his three sons, Michael (62), David (59) and Mark (51); three step children by his second marriage; four grandchildren; and five step grandchildren.
Art and Dorothy’s ashes will be interred at Big Falls Cemetery at a to-be-decided date this summer.
