Earl Harold Ennis Iii

Earl H. Ennis lll, husband, father, and grandfather; visionary, businessman, and motor vehicle enthusiast; fisherman, poker player, and friend to all he met, passed peacefully at his home in Traverse City on December 15, 2022, at the age of 92.
Earl was born on December 30, 1929, in Detroit, to Dorthea (Van Duesen) and Earl Harold Ennis, Jr. He attended Samuel C. Mumford High School in Detroit, and despite not graduating, he had the skills and mindset he needed to start a long, enterprising career.
At 20 years of age, Earl met 16-year-old Beverly Solem while she was working as a carhop at Tony's Drive-in in Troy, Michigan. He was smitten. Her friend accompanied them on their first date, and neither of them ever looked back, marrying two years later.
Earl was the consummate family man, and together he and Beverly raised four children: Earl "Skip," Robin, Jane, and Joan. He made it look easy to be an involved family man and still excel outside of their home.
Earl drove his own gravel truck and worked on the original I-75 in the 1950s. He also worked for his grandfather at the family plumbing and heating business and later obtained his State of Michigan building, boiler, and heating licenses. As a builder, he and Beverly formed Ennis Building and Development.
After moving north in 1974, Earl and Beverly purchased the Willowbrook Tea Room in Northport and added the ice cream parlor and the water wheel. Also in the 1970s, with partners, they built and ran Skate World and Wildwood Lanes of Traverse City and started Port Sutton condominiums and marina in Suttons Bay. Then in 1980, Earl purchased a Peterbilt truck and began Ennis Trucking in Traverse City, where each of the semis have "Trust in Jesus" written on the cab. He ran the company with family members until his death. Earl never quit working or thinking – his gears were always moving. Just two weeks before his passing, he was busy researching and ordering trucking permits for seven states.
Earl was a straight-shooter and a risk-taker. While never putting all his eggs in one basket, he was always looking for the "next best thing," and he had a knack for finding it. Earl was a mentor to many and was known for telling them, "If you don't make mistakes, you're not learning."
To many of his employees, he was more than a mentor. He was a father figure, a brother, a best friend. Earl was kind and generous, working with them when they had problems. They knew he liked them when he used "Okay, Guy" rather than their name.
Earl was a tall man who could be recognized in his trademark suspenders. He loved chocolate milk and Texas Hold 'Em, ice cream and classic cars. He played poker twice within three weeks of his passing, winning on both days. For many years, Earl entered his 1951 Mack at the Richard Crane Memorial Truck Show in St. Ignace, winning his class several times. In 2019, he was awarded a 20-year participation trophy. Regarding cars, he treasured his turquoise '57 Chevy Bel Air.
His family likes to tell the story of how, despite being warned of the incoming fog, Earl headed out of Leland Harbor one evening to fish, pre-GPS and cell phone. In the early morning hours, Bev and Joan drove to Leland and found his truck and trailer still in the lot. He was relieved when the fog lifted enough to see the lights of what he thought was Leland, but he was many miles away looking at the Medusa Cement Plant in Charlevoix.
Earl was resilient. He survived prostate cancer and fully recovered from Whipple surgery at age 87, and he did it all with great faith and a sense of humor. Toward the end, rather than focusing on himself, he put others at ease and kept his daughter and hospice nurse laughing at his jokes.
Earl is survived by his wife, Beverly, their son, Earl "Skip" Ennis IV (Sharon) and daughter, Joan Williams (Donald "Jake"), all of Traverse City, eight grandchildren: Samantha, Sarah, Debra, Kelsey, Gina, Brandon, Don, and Jon, and a great-grandchild due to be born in January. His brother, Larry, also survives.
Earl was preceded in death by his parents, his son, Robin Ennis, and daughter, Jane Ball (Randall), and three brothers, Dennis, Ronald, and Duane.
A funeral and celebration of Earl's life will take place at Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home on his 93rd birthday, December 30, 2022, at 11 am, with viewing and visitation starting at 10 am. Visitation will also take place on Wednesday, December 28, from 5-7 pm, and Thursday, December 29 from 11am – 2pm. Tributes can be shared on his page at reynolds-jonkhoff.com In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Peace Ranch or your favorite veteran's organization.