Milton E. Lorenz

Lorenz passed away on Friday, July 12, 2019, at the age of 93. He was born in Robstown, Texas, on September 7, 1925, the only child of Willie and Hedwig Lorenz. He attended and graduated high school at the Texas Military Institute in San Antonio, Texas. Upon graduation, he joined the Navy, serving in the Pacific during World War II aboard various vessels including the Battleship Texas. He served aboard an ocean-going tug that was one of the first U.S. ships to enter Tokyo Bay, and spent time in Tokyo and other parts of Japan, after the war’s end. He also captained an LST, shuttling troops and equipment along the China coastline.

After the War, he attended The University of Texas at Austin, graduating in 1949 with a degree in architectural engineering. He married Mary Louise Bryan, also from Robstown, Texas, on June 3, 1947. Following graduation, Milton and Mary Lou moved to Corpus Christi, Texas. There, Milton Lorenz worked for many years with his partner, Horace McCord, at their architectural and engineering firm, McCord & Lorenz, designing, engineering and supervising the construction of schools, churches and commercial buildings throughout Corpus Christi and South Texas, including Foy H. Moody High School and St. Luke’s Methodist Church in Corpus Christi, and The University of Texas Marine Science Institute in Port Aransas.

Milton Lorenz was generous with his time and talents, serving on professional and civic organizations, including the Nueces County MHMR Community Center board of directors and the Texas State School in San Antonio. He was also an active member of St. Luke’s Methodist Church in Corpus Christi. He quietly and patiently shouldered many life challenges. He was always available to bolster and support others. His thoughtful and gentle demeanor was enjoyed by countless family, friends and associates.

He came from a farming family and loved the land. Although he himself never farmed, he owned farms in South Texas and a ranch near Oakville, Texas, where he loved to spend time, repairing fences, clearing brush, raising cattle and just being outdoors and in the country. His passion and talent were in building, which extended to handcrafting swings, forts, slides and playhouses for his grandchildren. Each project was a work of art and labor of love.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 66 years, Mary Lou Lorenz, and his daughter, Karen Renee Lorenz. He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Milton and Kathy Lorenz, Jr. (Corpus Christi) and their two children, Charles Lorenz (Austin) and Mosettee Lorenz (Bogotá, Colombia); and by his daughter, Janette Louise Lorenz (Houston) and her two children, Morgan Lorenz (New York) and Kara Lorenz.

Milton Lorenz was an intelligent and talented man. But what made him special was how he used those gifts and lived his life with such grace, humility, honesty and compassion. He lived an exemplary life. He will live on in the memories of those who knew and loved him. He will be sorely missed.

A memorial service will be held at 2 PM on Friday, July 19, 2019, at St. Luke’s Methodist Church, 3151 Reid Drive, Corpus Christi, Texas. Visitation will follow the memorial service at the church. The Lorenz family extends its deepest appreciation to each of the women from Visiting Angels who provided such loving care for Milton Lorenz over the past year. You were a blessing and a gift to us all.

Condolences may be sent to: www.cage-millsfuneraldirectors.com