Mary Kathryn "Khaki" Ensign

Khaki Ensign, age 96, went peacefully into the presence of her Lord and Savior on the morning of November 23, 2022. She was born to Clarence and Florence (Braun) Sherman, in Toledo, Ohio, on November 18, 1926. Khaki was a talented artist from a young age. After graduating from DeVilbiss High School in 1944, she studied for 2 years at Chicago Institute of Art and worked several years for Broer-Freeman Jeweler as a commercial artist. Khaki loved animals, especially dogs, and in later years enjoyed drawing oil-pastel Pet Portraits. During high school, her spunky manner caught the eye of Earl S. Ensign, Jr. and they were married on July 25, 1947. Over the next 72 years, they served the Lord Jesus together and raised five daughters: Martha (Jim) Ramsey, Katy (Dave) Brereton, Meg (Mike) Litteral, Barbara (Scott) Bernhard, Lydia (Richard) Wurz.

Khaki and Earl shared a love of music, singing and playing duets on the piano. They spent summers during the 60s and 70s traveling by trailer and sharing the Word of God in the province of Newfoundland. During those trips, Khaki cooked hundreds of meals on a tiny trailer stove for her family and members of the ministry team. In her local community, she reached out to neighbors, taught Good News Club and Sunday School, served Sunday dinners, and hosted visiting missionaries. Khaki was an exemplary homemaker, sewing quilts, baking, cooking and canning with her daughters, singing as she worked. She was a loving, vivacious wife and mother, and a prayer warrior who encouraged others to “lean hard on the Lord.”

Khaki was preceded in death by her devoted husband, Earl, her parents, cousin Bob Konz, and brother and sister-in-law, Robert and Mary Ensign. She is survived by her 5 daughters, 17 grandchildren, 55 great-grandchildren, and nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be Friday, December 2, from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Walter Funeral Home, 4653 Glendale Avenue, Toledo, OH. The funeral will be held at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, December 3, at Christian Fellowship Church, 6711 Pilliod Rd., Holland OH. The family would like to extend a special thank you to the staff at Kingston Residence of Sylvania and its Rehab Center. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent in Khaki’s memory to the Samaritan’s Fund at Christian Fellowship Church.