Michael Jay Ennis

Michael (Mike) Jay Ennis of Fearrington Village, Pittsboro, NC passed away on June 9, 2026 after his long illness with aphasia, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinsonism. He was 79 years old.

Mike was born on January 22, 1947 in Camden, NJ to June Huffmann Ennis and John Hamilton Ennis. He graduated from Pennsauken High School in 1965 and majored in Chemistry at Rutgers University Camden where he graduated in 1969. Upon graduation, he started his 32 year career as a physical scientist for the Department of the Army first in Frankford Arsenal in Philadelphia and then Picatinny Arsenal in Rockaway, NJ. Upon his retirement in February 2002, Mike received the Commander’s Award for Civilian Service for outstanding performance demonstrating outstanding knowledge and technical expertise in artillery systems effectiveness with emphasis on technology risk assessments, battlefield impact of technology alternatives and the impact of fielding liquid propellant to cannon systems.

Mike married Carole Jayne Breckinridge on April 14, 2002. In June 2007, they moved from Randolph, NJ to Chapel Hill, NC where they built a large detached garage with storage for three cars, a hydraulic car lift, a workshop, and a storage loft. Mike’s passion and hobby during both his working and retirement years was restoring and driving classic muscle cars. His pride and joy was his 1966 Corvette, which he purchased in 1973. His other restoration cars included a 1968 Chevy El Camino and a 1967 Ford Mustang. Mike sold his beloved classic cars when they downsized and moved from their Chapel Hill home to Fearrington Village in November 2020.

In addition to working on his beloved cars during retirement, Mike volunteered at Habitat for Humanity of Pittsboro performing small engine repair and evaluating the value of donations for resale.

Mike is predeceased by his parents, June Huffmann Ennis and John Hamilton Ennis.

He is survived by his wife, Carole, his sisters, Janet (Allan) Keller of Westminster, CO and Patricia Ennis of Bassano del Grappa, Italy, his stepchildren Ralph Turney and Mary Ann Turney (Keith) Browning from a previous marriage, and numerous nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held at Binkley Baptist Church, 1712 Willow Dr, Chapel Hill, NC on Saturday, August 15th, at 2:00 PM with a reception to follow in the Binkley Fellowship Hall.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Mike’s memory may be made to: Charles House (https://charleshouse.org/) where Mike attended their excellent adult day care program after his dementia diagnosis; Fearrington Cares (https://fearringtoncares.org/) which provided outstanding support to Mike and Carole during his illness; or Chatham Habitat for Humanity in Pittsboro (https://www.chathamhabitat.org/).