Bernice Lorentz

5/23/1929 — 10/16/2022

Service Date: 12/2/2022
Get Directions to Service

Send a Condolence

Bernice Lorentz, longtime resident of Lewiston, was finally called home by the Lord early Sunday morning, Oct. 16, 2022. She was 93.

Bernice Rose Nau was born May 23, 1929, to Albert and Mary (Arnzen) Nau in Ferdinand. She spent her early years on the family ranch at Ferdinand and graduated from Ferdinand High School in 1947. Bernice married Ray Lorentz of Cottonwood, on June 1, 1948. In 1952, the couple moved from Cottonwood to their home on Bryden Avenue in Lewiston, where they would live for more than 50 years.

While Ray refereed on the basketball court, Bernice refereed five rowdy Lorentz children at home — Mick, Gary, Dick, Donna and Sam (or, as Donna would tell it, four rowdy children and Donna). She worked full-time outside the home as well, firing thousands of rounds as a Quality Assurance Specialist at the ammunition factory in Lewiston. She was hired by Omark Industries in 1966 and retired 25 years later in 1991 from Blount Inc.

Bernice could typically be found in the kitchen, baking a dozen different pies (chocolate just for Dick) or peeling bushels of potatoes, making sure there was more than enough, just in case visitors stopped by — which they frequently did. She enjoyed family gatherings, volunteering in the church kitchen, camping and traveling with friends, watching baseball and basketball and, most of all, her grandchildren. When it came to her grandchildren, Bernice spared the rod and spoiled the hell out of them (well, she tried, anyway). While Ray enjoyed many hobbies throughout his life, the top seven hobbies on Bernice’s list were her grandchildren. Being a grandma was her calling, and she excelled at it.

Ray and Bernice were avid fans of Lewis-Clark State College Warriors baseball and Lady Warrior basketball. They were fixtures in the bleachers at NAIA World Series games from 1984 until Ray’s passing in 2011, as well as those of Warrior Gym as members of the women’s basketball scholarship club.

In their retirement, the couple became members of the local Good Sam Club and spent the next few years exploring the local area with an unlikely but close-knit group of friends who enjoyed their trips immensely and always came home with the best stories. They also traveled to Hawaii, London, Washington, D.C., and Canada; cruised the Caribbean, crossed the Panama Canal, visited family in California and discovered their roots in Minnesota and Oklahoma. Pong-pong/Papa Smiley and Chick-chick also took many trips to Oregon, Alaska and even New Mexico to spend time with their grandchildren (as well as visit their grandchildren’s parents).

Bernice and Ray were faithful Catholics and belonged to all three parishes of the Catholic Church in Lewiston at one time or another, starting out at St. Stan’s, then Our Lady of Lourdes and finally St. James. Bernice lived long enough to attend mass at the new All Saints Catholic Parish when it was finally completed in 2014. Some might say it was due to the power of Bernice’s prayers that the church was built practically in Mick’s backyard so that he has full view of the church steeple while enjoying the sunset from his deck.

Surviving Bernice are sons Mick and wife Carolyn of Lewiston, and Dick and wife Gwen of Clarkston; daughters Donna and husband Colin Doyle of McCall and Bonnie “Sam” and husband Dave Archambault of Roseburg, Ore.; grandchildren Cory Lorentz (Marlo), Stacie Ingram (Billy), Kevin Lorentz (Sara) and Jaime McCarthy (Paul), all of Lewiston; Dustin Payton of Salt Lake City; Erica Archambault of Roseburg and Jesse Archambault of Tualatin, Ore.; eight great-grandchildren; and several step grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She is also survived by a sister, Margie Schmidt, of Simi Valley, Calif.

Bernice was preceded in death by Ray, her husband of 62 years; son, Gary; parents Albert and Mary Nau; brothers Clarence, Bob, and Vince Nau, and sister Beatrice Nau.

Services will be held Friday, Dec. 2, at All Saints Catholic Church in Lewiston. Rosary will be recited at 10:30 a.m. followed by Mass at 11 a.m.

Service Information

Date & Time: Friday, December 2, 11:00 AM
Location: All Saints Catholic Church
3330 14th Street
Lewiston, ID 83501

Get Directions
Additional Details: Rosary to be held at 10:30 a.m.