Obituary of Hermann Enzer

Hermann Enzer, 90, of Manassas, Virginia, passed away at his home on Saturday, August 15, 2020. He was the husband of the late Agnes (Nielsen) Enzer who died in 2014. Born in Munich, Germany in 1929, the first of 5 children to the late Josefine and Josef Enzer. They were evacuated after an allied bombing mission, and became war refugees and spent the last months of World War 2 on a Bavarian cattle farm. The initial post-war period hosted his apprenticeships in the West German aircraft and rubber industries. In 1952, he began his lustrum in Liberia as a commercial import-export manager for a West German firm, living in both Monrovia and in the inland town of Ganta. In 1957, he took up residence in a third continent to attend Boston University, achieving bachelor's and master’s degrees by 1960. This year would also host his wedding to Agnes Nielsen, a Dean’s assistant at Northeastern University, and start of his fellowship at Harvard University. 1963 saw his completion of a doctoral degree in economics, granting of US citizenship, the birth of first son Alan, and relocation to Ohio to begin a decade of service as professor of economics and statistics for the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) at the Wright-Patterson base. This period also included the birth of second son Robert in 1964, additional part time lecturing at Wright State University beginning in 1965, and authorship of several publications on finance, statistics, and economics. In 1973, Hermann began working for the Department of the Interior in Washington, D.C. He was based in Bureau of Mines, and did secondments in the State Department, and the Agency for International Development (USAID); and he produced more research papers for government and industry publications. Hermann rose to the position of Deputy Director (and for some time, acting Director) of the Bureau of Mines, which was “retired” as an entity shortly after his retirement from Federal Service in 1996. Though he was soon coaxed out of retirement for a half-year project at the US Geological Survey. In retirement, he welcomed the arrival of his grandsons Nicholas and Christopher, born to Alan and his wife Noranne in 1998 and 2005. He continued his quests for knowledge and learning, expanding his library with many books in mathematics, physics, and even lutherie. Hermann spent his later years caring for his ailing wife, attending to her until her passing in 2014. In the Spring of 2020, he was diagnosed with mesothelioma, its tumor detected a remarkable 7 decades after his asbestos exposure during his time at the rubber company. He was able to hold out against the cancer until August 15, to the end maintaining ferociously his independence and self-sufficiency. Hermann is also survived by his brother Josef, son Robert and his wife Denise, daughter-in-law Noranne and grandsons Christopher and Nicholas. A graveside service will be held at the Lakeside Cemetery, 501 North Ave., Wakefield on Wednesday, August 26 at 11:00 am. Due ot covid-19 restrictions, we kindly ask everyone to wear a face covering, and maintain social distancing. Arrangements by the Graham Funeral Home, Woburn.