Mark Theodore Lorentz, age 92, passed away on Friday, December 11, 2015 in Perham Living, Perham, MN. Visitation will be held on Friday, December 18 from 5:00-8:00 p.m. with parish prayers at 7:45 p.m. at St. Lawrence Catholic Church, rural Perham. Visitation will resume on Saturday, December 19 beginning at 9:00 a.m. followed by the Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 a.m. at St. Lawrence Catholic Church with Father George Michael as Celebrant. Burial will be held Saturday at 1:00 p.m. in Calvary Cemetery, Wadena, MN. Serving as honorary pallbearers are all of Mark's grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Mark was born to Joseph and Ann (Hopp) Lorentz on the family farm on May 25, 1923, the fifth of fourteen children. He graduated from Wadena Senior High School in 1941 and worked on the family farm until 1945. On December 31, 1945, Mark was united in marriage to Rosemary Ann Goeden at St. Ann's Catholic Church in Wadena. He entered the Army in January of 1946 and had basic training in Fort Lewis, WA. Mark attended Counterintelligence Corps (CIC) School in Baltimore, MD. He served in Germany as a special investigator. Returning home he worked for Northwestern Bell Telephone Company for 35 years in various locations, mainly Duluth and Grand Rapids, MN. Following his retirement in 1981, he and Rosemary moved to Rush Lake and spent their winters in Arizona. They enjoyed square dancing, golfing, making stained glass and playing cards with family and friends.
As an avid fisherman, hunter and outdoorsman, fishing in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness was an annual tradition that continues on to this day, with his grandchildren passing it on to their children.
Mark was a member of the Catholic Aid Society, Knights of Columbus, VFW, American Legion and was director of the Rush Lake Association for many years.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his son, David; his sisters, Leona, Phyllis, Isabelle and Joanne; and his brothers, Mike, Benny, Ralph and Jerome.
Mark is survived by Rosemary, his loving wife of nearly 70 years; his daughters, Karen (Denny) Doran of Ottertail, Connie (Andy) Anderson of Ottertail and Jackie (Jack) Kilby of Pella, IA; his sons, Mark (Robyn) of Tulsa, OK and Ron (Theresa) of Duluth; 14 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; his sisters, Irene Johnson of Verndale, MN, Janet (Ron) Wright of Bluffton, MN and Ruthann Theriault of TX; and his brothers, Frank (Leona) of Bluffton and Nibs of Wadena.
Memorials may be made to the St. Lawrence Catholic Church building fund.
Mark's Memorial Folder