Funeral Services for Gordon Richard Lorenz, 89, of O'Neill, NE who passed away on March 30, 2023, after a brief stay at Arbor Care in O'Neill, will be 10:30 AM Friday, April 7, 2023 at Faith Community Church in O'Neill. Pastor Paul Harder officiating. Burial will follow in the O'Neill Cemetery. Visitation will be on Thursday from 5 -7 PM at Biglin's Mortuary, O'Neill. Memorials may be made to the family for future designation or to International Evangel Heralds of Mission, Texas.

Gordon Lorenz was born in Holt County Nebraska to Otto F. Lorenz and Clara (Ernst) Lorenz on March 14, 1934. The family lived on a farm NW of O'Neill until 1938, when they moved to a place along Hwy 20, 4 miles west of O'Neill. The place was often noted in location by the big red barn with Lorenz Ranch painted on it. He attended grade school at District #67 through 8th grade and graduated from O'Neill High School in 1952. He graduated from Grace College of the Bible (Grace University) in 1955.

Gordon accepted Christ as his personal Savior as a teenager while attending a summer Bible camp. His faith was an important part of his entire life. He also served his local church in various capacities. He supported a ministry, International Evangel Heralds, which distributes Bibles, correspondence and literature to Mexico and several Central American locations.

Gordon and his dad Otto farmed west of O'Neill and were some of the first in the area to begin irrigation practices. They first used a boom system in a pasture. Later on, they began using gated pipe irrigation before changing to pivot systems for the crop land fields. He also raised hogs several years and was honored with a Reserve Champion Market Hog at a Holt-Boyd Market Show.

In 1962, Gordon married Larue Weller of Chambers at the Memorial Baptist Church in Chambers. They lived on the Lorenz Ranch place west of O'Neill. To this union, three children were born: Phil, Rick and Jan.

After college graduation, Gordon served as a guest Lay Leader speaker at several small churches in the area including Ballagh and Cedar Creek as well as Butte Community and Bristow Covenant churches. Early hobbies included a men's softball league and bowling league, until the irrigation farming began to take more of his time. Later on, he and Larue bowled on a couple's league. He was a member of the Farm Bureau and served as a county representative one year to a convention in Kansas City.

He was also a member of the Center Union Church and later on a founding member of the Berean Fundamental Church which was located in O'Neill. He became an Elder at Faith Community Church when it began in the 1980's but had since retired from that position.

As a family, they traveled many times to the Seattle area where his brother Bernard and family lived. Some other travels were to Washington DC, and a cruise to South America, as well as many areas in the neighboring states. He loved to go places and in the later years when the medical staff would ask if he'd been out of the country, he'd always answer, "I've been to Emmet!" He always enjoyed reading or checking up on the older train engines, an interest that he shared with his oldest grandson, Cody. All of his grandchildren were a special joy to him, as he often would ask about them. Family was important and the addition of two great- grandkids just added to his family legacy.

Farming was his passion and being in the field; in a tractor, or just driving around to check the fields was a great enjoyment for him after he had actively retired from full time farming. He always enjoyed stopping along the road to visit with the area farmers.

He is survived by his wife, Larue, of 60 years; his two sons, Phil (Kimberly) Lorenz, Rick (Janel) Lorenz; daughter Jan (Lorenz) Buller, all of O'Neill; grandchildren, Kirsten (Jeff) Stewart, Bennington, Cody (fiancée, Sunshine Sumaylo) Lorenz, Pierre, SD, Kyle Lorenz, Bellevue, Stephanie Buller, O'Neill, Katelyn (Riley) Abbott, Hay Springs and Collin Lorenz, Omaha; two great-grandsons, Jameson Stewart and Barrett Abbott; one brother, Bernard (Pearl) Lorenz of Snohomish, Washington; along with a host of aunts,uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents Otto and Clara Lorenz, in-laws Kenneth and Edith Weller, and one son-in-law, Mike Buller.