Pat Lorenz

Pat was born on February 19, 1944, to Ralph and Hazel Dunn in Ortonville, Minnesota, the first of a handful of places she would live in Minnesota and the Dakotas as the daughter of a pastor. The most outgoing of the four Dunn children, Pat made friends everywhere she went.

She played pump-pump-pull-away in the field behind church, hide-and-seek in a nearby cemetery, and rode her bicycle over gravelly roads. She read for pleasure, a hobby she enjoyed her whole life. She also participated in her father’s ministry, playing the organ or singing at church and other events, as she grew older.

A popular student who did well academically, Pat found lots of ways to get involved when she transferred to Worthington Senior High as a sophomore. Before graduating in 1962, she sang in the school musicals, acted in the school plays, was voted onto the homecoming court and co-edited the school newspaper.

High school is also where she met Ron Lorenz, the young man that would become “the love of her life.” The couple wed on August 19, 1962 and began what would become 61 years of marriage together.

While Pat occasionally worked outside the house doing secretarial tasks or arranging flowers, her true vocation was that of a homemaker. As a wife, mother, and a grandmother, she showed those close to her the importance of family, hard work, and unwavering optimism in all she did. Pat was a consummate hostess and loved nothing more than gathering people together for a meal and some laughter. When not busy connecting with others, she enjoyed nurturing the vegetables and flowers she kept in her various gardens.

A caretaker through and through, Pat’s love and can-do attitude extended beyond her own home and into the community around her. Her boundless energy and meticulous attention to detail made her a natural leader in countless settings. A long-time member of the philanthropic organization P.E.O. International, Pat served as president of her local chapter and on several committees. For decades, she graced the church choir with her melodious voice and even directed the choir for a number of years. Pat also spearheaded the establishment of the columbarium at Atonement, a testament to her enduring legacy of service and foresight.

Yet, amidst her bustling schedule, Pat found time to travel internationally with her beloved Ron during the last decades of their lives. Her sense of adventure spurred the couple to explore the wonders of Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. Her loved ones take a small measure of comfort in the thought that the two, not long separated, are now reunited.

Pat is survived by her loving children, Terri Saeed (Q) and Tony Lorenz (Rachel), her cherished grandchildren Shane Saeed, Dylan Dornan (Jonathan), Mason Saeed, Reid Lorenz, and Evalyn Lorenz, as well as her siblings Stan Dunn (Darnelle), Kathy Christensen (Lorne), and Steve Dunn (George). She leaves behind a host of extended family and friends, each touched by her wit and warmth.

A memorial service to celebrate Pat's remarkable life will be held on Friday, June 21, 2024, at 1 p.m. at Atonement Lutheran Church, 6281 W. Yale Ave., Lakewood, Colorado, followed by a brief committal ceremony in the church’s columbarium garden. After the ceremony, all memorial guests are invited for light refreshments at Advantage Runyan Stevenson Chapel, 6425 W. Alameda Ave., Lakewood, Colorado.

The family requests that any memorial donations be made to Atonement Lutheran Church, 6281 W. Yale Ave., Lakewood, Colorado, 80227 www.atonementlakewood.org/give; or Chapter EP P.E.O., c/o Valerie Vold, 12844 W. Iliff Ave., Lakewood, Colorado, 80228.