November 9th, 1938 – August 13th, 2018
On Monday, August 13th, 2018, Linda Ruth Ensworth, loving wife and mother of two children, passed away at the age of 79. Lin, as she preferred to be called, was born November 9th, 1938 in Pontiac, Michigan to George and Dortha Schellenberg. She married Robert John Ensworth Jr. in Michigan and they raised a son, John and daughter, Susan.
She graduated from Eastern Michigan University with a BA in teaching. She taught elementary school in Michigan and taught at a private church school in Tempe, Arizona. While living briefly in Georgia, Lin again taught elementary students, who knew her as Miz Lin. She was, from the early 1970’s on, a loving follower of Jesus. She played guitar, sang, and shared the Word of God at several churches and meetings as part of Aglow women’s group.
In addition to her ministry, she had an extensive network of close friends. Though she had to contend with several health issues through life, she was unusually optimistic and cheerful, given those issues. She was always an encouraging friend.
She loved her brothers and their spouses; older brother Jim and his wife Dee Schellenberg (living in Michigan) and younger brother Tom and his wife Jean Schellenberg (living in California). She shared her later years with her ‘permanent boyfriend’ Walter Bass and enjoyed his adult children as a part of her life. She is survived by her brothers, children, and grandchildren; her son John’s children Emma and Branden and her daughter Susan Jackson of North Carolina; children Cody Grant USMC of North Carolina and Chelby Sgarlata of Florida and six great-grandchildren.
She will be interred with Walter, who preceded her, at Green Acres Mortuary and Cemetery, Scottsdale, Arizona. A memorial service will be held on Sunday, September 23rd, 2018 at the Tempe Nazarene Church, 3929 S Rural Rd, Tempe, at 5 o’clock p.m. There will be a graveside service Monday morning, September 24th, 2018 at Green Acres Mortuary & Cemetery, 401 North Hayden Road, Scottsdale, at 9 o’clock a.m. The family will arrange to have a back room reserved at the Olive Garden later that morning at 11am at 3380 N Scottsdale Rd, Scottsdale, for those who wish to visit. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the elementary school at Tempe Nazarene Church or Hospice of the Valley https://www.hov.org/donate/.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18