Carmen L. Ensrud, age 71, resident of Pekin, ND, died Sunday, April 10, 2011 at Altru Hospital in Grand Forks, ND.

Carmen Leroy Ensrud was born on April 7, 1940 in Pekin, ND. The son of Joseph and Myrtle (Cepak) Ensrud. At a young age his family moved to Seattle, WA. They lived there for four years before returning to Pekin . He attended the 1 st grade in Pekin then moved to Grand Forks with his parents, where he attended Roosevelt Elementary School and then South Junior High. Carmen returned to Pekin in 1956 to live with Obbie and Betty Brekken and finish high school. Carmen graduated in 1958. Carmen was drafted in the U.S Army September 10, 1963 and was honorably discharged on August 23, 1965.

After his time in the service, Carmen returned to Pekin and lived with Obbie and Betty Brekken. In 1984 Carmen moved to Torrance, CA where he worked at Barns Plastics until 2001. Carmen retired and moved back to Pekin in August of 2001 where he lived until his untimely death.

Carmen enjoyed farming, hunting, playing cards and watching baseball and basketball on TV. He was president of the Pekin Senior Citizens. Carmen was a member of the American Legion Morken Christianson Post 182. Carmen was the Secretary of the Pekin Coffee Club where he enjoyed visiting with the “old timers”.

Carmen is survived by his sisters Jane (Curt) Hanson of Pekin, ND, Nancy (Dave) Blechinger of Long Beach, CA, and brother Joe (Diane) Ensrud, Grand Forks, ND; many nieces and nephews; and family friend, Betty Brekken.

Carmen was preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Mary Lou Severson, Karen Walker, and his great friend and cousin, Obbie Brekken.