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Leonard Thomas "Tom" Ensign

1940 - 2024

Leonard Thomas "Tom" Ensign obituary, 1940-2024, San Marcos, CA

BORN

1940

DIED

2024

Leonard Ensign Obituary


News story
By Mike Sigov
Blade Staff Writer

Leonard Thomas "Tom" Ensign, a longtime reporter, columnist, and television critic for The Blade, who was a combat Marine Corps veteran of the Vietnam War, died Nov. 20 in a hospice facility in San Diego. He was 84.

The family did not report the cause of death.

"He really gave his heart and soul, he was that kind of writer," Larry Boyer, a fellow longtime Toledo Press Club member and friend, said.

Mr. Ensign, who went by and signed his articles as Tom Ensign, retired in 2001 after 32 years with the paper.

He "tried lots of hats" and wrote about those experiences, Mr. Boyer said.

"He would do anything from being a goalie for the local hockey team to doing [other] things other people wouldn't think you would do," like cleaning a lion's cage at the Toledo Zoo, Mr. Boyer said. "And he was great at writing about it."

During his time at The Blade, Mr. Ensign thought he had "the most exciting, adventurous, and just plain fun-filled career" of anyone he knew, he wrote in his Jan. 12, 1994 column titled "Fun, games, and 25 years at The Blade."

"Because of my job, I have had a magic key to kingdoms some people only dream of entering, and my experiences became even more enjoyable because I was able to provide a glimpse into those world through stories that I write," he wrote.

As a television critic, he made more than a dozen trips to meet television network "bigwigs and stars."

During his trips to Los Angeles for the critics' tour, he "visited so many sets and interviewed so many stars that it would take a month of columns to even scratch the surface," he wrote.

The most memorable instances included attending a cast party after the taping of the final Cheers episode, spending an evening at the Playboy Mansion, and running into former Chicago linebacker Dick Butkus at a party, he noted.

His experiences as a reporter included working out with the Goaldiggers, a former Toledo hockey team; driving a horse at Raceway Park; playing against the Harlem Globetrotters; doing a weather broadcast live on WTVG-TV, Channel 13; and delivering a five-minute stand-up act at the Toledo Comedy Club.

Mr. Ensign had also wrestled the Australian women's heavyweight champion, used paint-loaded weapons to play war games in the woods, worked for a week as a zookeeper at the Toledo Zoo, worked for three days at the Toledo Humane Society, and had a walk-on part at the Westgate Dinner Theater.

"But probably the most thrilling of all was when I was a contestant on the country's most popular game show, Wheel of Fortune, where I went bankrupt four times and still won $2,800," he wrote at the time.

Mr. Boyer said he looked forward to Mr. Ensign's columns "all the time, and a lot of people did."

In the early 1970s, he was instrumental in the establishment of the Toledo Press Club, where he was a former board member and from which he later received several awards.

"He was really liked at the press club," he said. "People would come up to him and say, 'Man, this is something else. Why would you do that?' And he said, 'You know what? It's because I enjoy writing about these things that people want to hear about and because it's challenging for me.'

"[And] he got along with everybody. He was a really muscular type of a guy, but he was gentle as a lamb."

Born Jan. 4, 1940, in Cleveland to Betty and Leonard Ensign, he spent his formative years in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., where he attended Fort Lauderdale High School.

Once out of high school in 1957, he went to work at the former Fort Lauderdale News and Sentinel.

Mr. Ensign worked at the paper until October, 1958, when he enlisted in the Marines to serve in Vietnam. He was honorably discharged in April, 1963. By that time, he was decorated with the Marine Expeditionary Force Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal.

He then returned to Fort Lauderdale to resume his employment at the News and Sentinel, where he worked before getting hired at the Hollywood, Fla. Sun-Tattler in the early 1960s.

After the Sun-Tattler, he worked at the Cincinnati Post and Time Star in the late 1960s before coming to The Blade in March, 1969.

Prior to The Blade, he had also worked in insurance and electrical repair.

In his free time, Mr. Ensign, who most recently resided in San Marcos, Calif., enjoyed reading, weight lifting, and playing golf and chess.

Survivors include his ex-wife, Carol; and children Michael and Wendy.

Services are pending.

Arrangements are by Trident Society – San Diego.
Published by The Blade on Dec. 1, 2024.

Memories and Condolences
for Leonard Ensign

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6 Entries

Wendy Moore

December 10, 2024

He is sure gonna be missed. I had the most unpredictable fun childhood with him as a dad. I hope he keeps them laughing in heaven. RIP

Randy Delker

December 8, 2024

I grew up down the road from the Ensigns and Mike and I were great childhood friends. Mr Ensign was such a cool guy doing things that no other dad did, one of my favorites is when he got a perm and walked around with curly hair and wrote about people´s reactions, I also love the story when he tried out for the Cleveland browns... just loads of great stories. Mr Ensign will be missed but not forgotten. My heart goes out to Mike, his wife and his sister Wendy. God speed Mr Ensign!!!

Mindy Turley Parsons

December 7, 2024

Uncle Tommy was one of a kind! Such wonderful and fun childhood memories with him and the family. His gregarious laugh and teasing always made us laugh! Will never forget his big muscles, US Marines tattoo and hours of drinking and card playing along with Aunt Carol and my parents. Rest easy Uncle Tommy.

Mike Ensign

December 6, 2024

I consider myself very lucky that Tom (my father) moved out to the San Diego area after his retirement. We had many great years of fun and adventure. I will miss him greatly as he was my best friend as well as my dad.

Elisa Tomaszewski Mantey

December 2, 2024

Tom personified joy. I had the good fortune to work with him for the first few years of my Blade career and the last few of his. For him, every day at work was an adventure waiting to be discovered. He loved to learn something new, then write about it.

He worked in a business that leaves some long-timers cynical, but he was never that. He was that wonder-filled kid on Christmas morning, itching to unwrap the glorious gifts under the tree. And considering every present -- including the challenges -- a blessing.

My sincere condolences to his family and loved ones. He was an amazing man.

John Kirkbride

December 1, 2024

I always read Tom first when I opened the Blade. He always gave the story a different perspective.

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