John Anthony Enos

John Anthony Enos passed away Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2010, in San Luis Obispo. He was born in Stockton, Calif., in April 1922, and a few months later, the family moved to Fresno, Calif., where he attended St. John''s Cathedral School and Theodore Roosevelt High School. During his senior year, he became Company commander of the school''s High School Cadet Corps. He graduated in June 1939 and enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in June 1940. He had attained the rank of Corporal when World War II started, and he rapidly rose through the ranks and became a First Sergeant in January 1943. In 1944, while serving at Aircraft, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific headquarters in Hawaii, he was promoted to Sergeant Major. At the end of the War, he was assigned as a Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge of the Marine Corps Separation Center at Miramar, Calif. In July 1946, he left the Marine Corps and returned to Fresno, where he helped organize a Marine Corps Reserve unit. This unit was ordered to active duty in July 1950 to serve in the Korean War. While serving with the First Marine Division Air Support Team in Korea in January 1952, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant. After he returned to the states, he was assigned to the Naval Intelligence School at Washington D.C., and then to the Nuclear Weapons Operations Course in San Diego, Calif., and Yucca Flats, Nev., to observe the detonation of a 20-kiloton atom bomb. Further assignments were to the School of Military Justice at Newport, R.I., and duty at Atlantic Fleet Headquarters in Norfolk, Va. While attached to Fleet Headquarters at Norfolk, he was further assigned to Marine Squadrons based on aircraft carriers that served in the Mediterranean Sea from 1955 to 1956 and 1959 to 1960. He chose to retire from the Marines in June 1964 having attained the rank of Major. In November 1964, he was hired by San Luis Obispo County to work in the Veterans Service Office. Four years later, he was appointed by the Board of Supervisors to head that department. He retired from that position in December 1987. He was accredited by the State of California, Department of Veterans Affairs, American Legion and the VFW to represent veterans before the adjudication boards of the Veterans Administration. He was elected by county employees to serve as a Founding Trustee for the County''s retirement trust and was twice re-elected. John and his wife, Jayne, loved to travel in their motorhome and enjoyed recreational boating. John served in the Coast Guard Auxiliary for 15 years, until they sold their boat. They also enjoyed taking cruises and toured many places in the world. John was a life-time member of the Retired Officers Association, Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion and the Fleet Reserve Association, as well as a member of the Marine Corps Mustang Association, Marine Corps League and the 1st Marine Division Association and Elks Lodge No. 322. John was a past commander of American Legion Post No. 66 and past State President of the California Association of County Veterans Service Officers. John is survived by his wife, Jayne; son, John Michael Enos of Santa Ana, Calif.; daughters Catherine Huston of Atascadero, Susan West of Stockton, Calif., and Pamela Rothlisberger of San Luis Obispo; stepson, James D. Rhoades, Ph.D., of Riverside, Calif.; stepdaughter, Joan E. Byrnes, of Brea, Calif.; seven grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; sister, Dorothy Sparks of Fresno, Calif., and brother, Thomas Enos of Laughlin, Nev. He was preceded in death by a daughter, Michelle. A service, followed by burial, will be held at 3:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 4, 2010, at Los Osos Valley Mortuary and Memorial Park, 2260 Los Osos Valley Road in Los Osos. Los Osos Valley Mortuary 528-1500 Los Osos