Ervin Frederick Lorenz, 84, of Dodge passed away on Monday, April 20, 2020, from Parkinson’s Disease at the Knife River Care Center of Beulah, surrounded by his family. A private family service will be held, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Dodge, April 2020, with Pastor Kent Sperry officiating. Burial will follow at the Spring Creek Cemetery.
Ervin, son of Fred and Magdalena (Fischer) Lorenz was born August 26, 1935 on the homestead south of Dodge, ND. He attended Dodge Public School and graduated May 1953. He was baptized and confirmed at St. John Lutheran Church in Dodge. He married his high school sweetheart and best friend, Mabel Sailer, daughter of Leonard and Katie (Roesler) Sailer, August 6, 1954 at St. John Lutheran Church. They lived in Dodge with Ervin’s parents until electricity was installed on the Pitts farm, where they lived for three years. Along with farming, Ervin hauled coal and helped with carpentry work. They moved to the Carl Sailer farm and lived there until 1959 when they moved to the Fred Lorenz farm, three miles south of Dodge. Ervin and Mabel resided there and made their home until they became residents of the Knife River Care Center in December 2016. They were blessed with six children.
Ervin loved farming and ranching and said it didn’t feel like a job to him. His greatest wealth was his faith, family and friends. He taught his family many valuable life lessons and set an example for them to follow. He was a very kind man and would help anyone. He had a good sense of humor, loved playing pinochle, dancing and spending time with friends. He always had time to pick up a guitar and sing “You Are My Sunshine” to the grandchildren. He found good in everyone, was a great listener and loved to tell stories of his past. He was a wonderful husband, dad, grandpa, great-grandpa, friend and was a man of great wisdom, guidance and love. The impact he made on so many lives will forever be his legacy.
Ervin was a community man and was proud to say Dodge was his hometown. He was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church, Dodge where he served on the church board, cemetery board and Trinity Lutheran Parish board. He also served on the school board, elevator board, the Dunn County School Reorganization Board and was a member of the Dodge Saddle Club and Community Club.
Ervin is survived by his wife of 65 years, Mabel; his children, Monica (Jerald) Isaak of Beulah; Cindy (Kerby) Entze of Golden Valley, Fred (Rita) Lorenz of Dodge and Charlene (Delon) Bauman of Golden Valley; sister, Lydia (Ron) Sprague of Scottsdale, AZ; and brother, Herbert (Delores) Lorenz of Orangeville, CA; 11 grandchildren, Carrie (Ken) Miller, DeAnn (Eric) Braun, Jason (Katie, fiancé) Isaak, Amber (Morgan) Vercimak, Krista (Kenton) Richau, Stacy (Bob) Johnson, Kyle (Amanda) Lorenz, Angie Lorenz, Jessica (Alex) Wald, Jordan (Clancy) Bauman and Ty (Nicole, fiancé) Bauman; 21 great-grandchildren, Cayden Isaak, Kwentin, Camden Miller; Damian, Daxtyn, Dylan Eslinger; Elyse, Bryce, Jayce, Reyce Vercimak; Eastyn, Paetyn, Jaelyn, Lakyn Johnson; Cash, Ella Lorenz; Bentley, McKoy, Stetson, Brekka Wald and Denny Bauman; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by two children, infant daughter, Carmen and son, Monte; his parents, Fred and Magdalena Lorenz; his father and mother-in-law, Leonard and Katie Sailer; his sisters and brothers-in-law: Rose (Fred) Keller, Anna (John) Simpfenderfer, Kate (Eugene) Bauer, Tille (Granville) Brinkman, Emma (Gene) Smith, Edna (Jim) Persling and infant sisters, Lorena and Viola; his brothers and sisters-in-law, John (Alice) Lorenz and Albert (Theresa) Lorenz.
Arrangements conducted by Barbot Funeral Home, Beulah and Hazen.
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