Col. Gerald A. Enos, Sr., USMC Retired

Col. Gerald A. Enos, Sr., USMC Retired, 80 years young, ended his earthly journey on Wednesday, December 16, 2015.  Born in Norfolk, VA on August 9, 1935, he was the son of the late Larry Enos and Catherine Pierce Enos but was raised by relatives, Robert and Lucy Pierce of Norfolk.  Jerry was a member of First Presbyterian Church in Morganton, NC. He graduated from King College in Bristol, TN in 1957 with a Bachelor of Arts. While there, he met and married the love of his life, Rosemary Harrington, from Fountain City, TN. For the next 59 years, 31 of them in the Marine Corps, they enjoyed life and had many wonderful adventures. During his time in the Marine Corps he served as commanding officer of The 3rd Light Anti-Aircraft Missile Battalion, Marine Wing Support Group-27, and Marine Air Control Group-28 at Cherry Point, North Carolina. He was the head of the Marine Corps Communication and Electronics School at Twenty Nine Palms California. While stationed in Washington D.C., he attended American University and received a Master of science degree. His last four years of the Marine Corps were spent as Chief of Staff of the 2nd Marine Air Wing at Cherry Point, NC, serving four different Generals and thousands of Marines.  His flight call sign is Chief. As Chief, he was able to fly in all the different types of planes in the 2nd wing, and he loved it. After retiring in 1989, he taught classes at community colleges in the New Bern area where they stayed for the next twenty years. Family was his top priority, and he managed to be at the birth of all seven grandchildren.

In 2009, Jerry and Rosemary moved to Grace Ridge Retirement Community in Morganton, N.C. to be closer to family. A special thank you to the staff and special care givers at Grace Ridge for their love and affection.

Jerry is survived by his wife, Rosemary Harrington Enos ; children, Becca Enos Valone and her husband, Tom, of Raleigh, NC, Libby Enos Norvell of Morganton, and Jerry Enos, Jr. and his wife, Janet, of Winston-Salem, NC, siblings; Robert Pierce and his wife, Mary, of Richmond, VA, and Mary Jo Durand of New Bern, NC; granddaughters, Jessica Enos Klein and her husband, Patric, Laura Beth Enos Gregory and her husband, Braden ,and Elizabeth Harrington Norvell ; grandsons, Fielder Valone, David Enos and his wife, Hannah, Sam Valone, and Michael Enos; and great-grandchildren, Aiden Klein, Nicholas Klein, and Cecelia Gregory; and a host of extended family.

A celebration of his life will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, December 19, 2015 at First Presbyterian Church Morganton N.C. with the Rev. Michael Bailey officiating.  Family and friends will gather in the fellowship hall following the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Education Fund at Grace Ridge, 500 Lenoir Road, Morganton, NC 28655, to the Malawi Mission fund at First Presbyterian Church, 100 Silver Creek Road, Morganton, NC 28655, or to a charity of one’s choice.

Sossoman Funeral Home and Crematory Center is assisting the family with the arrangements.