Carmen M. Lorenz

Carmen Mardene Lorenz, 80, passed away on the 16th of November, 2016, at Eagle Springs Memory Care in College Place, WA. She was born on January 15, 1936 in Walla Walla, WA to Adam and Mollie (Foltz) Hunt.

Carmen grew up in Walla Walla, graduating as valedictorian from St. Patrick High School in 1953. After high school she studied music at Holy Names College in Spokane, WA for one year. In 1954 she earned a certificate in liturgical music, organ, at St. John’s University in Collegeville, MN.

In 1956, Carmen married Adrian Lorenz; they divorced in 1963.
After working for Attorney Murray Taggart, Carmen was employed by the Registrar’s Office at Whitman College, where she continued her education. In 1970, she earned a bachelor’s degree in Physics, the first woman to do so at Whitman College. She became a laboratory technician for the physics and chemistry departments, and worked for many years as the chemical stockroom manager at Whitman.

Carmen was a familiar figure, walking downtown from her family home on Birch Street, wearing outfits she sewed herself. She was proud of the raspberries and beans she raised in her garden. Carmen experimented with writing programs for the earliest personal computers. She also enjoyed researching her family’s genealogy and the history of the local community of Germans from Russia.

Carmen, who loved vocal and keyboard music throughout her life, also esteemed her Catholic faith. During high school, she and her father built a church organ in their living room—complete with two keyboards, stops, and foot pedals—using transistors and stereo speakers to generate the sound. Carmen spent decades as a church organist and choir leader in the Catholic community, and also sang in the Walla Walla Choral Society. In her retirement, Carmen volunteered for DeSales High School and also St. Mary’s Medical Center.

Carmen was preceded in death by her parents, Adam and Mollie Hunt. An infant son, Paul, was born and died in 1958. She is survived by a cousin, Anita Rigstad, of Salt Lake City, and many friends.

Viewing and Visitation will be held on Tuesday, November 22, 2016 from 5:00 until 7:00PM at the Herring Groseclose Funeral Home. The Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Wednesday, November 23, 2016 at 10:00AM at St. Francis Catholic Church. Interment will follow at the Mountain View Cemetery of Walla Walla.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Walla Walla Catholic Schools Endowment through the Funeral Home.
Family and Friends are invited to sign the online guestbook at www.herringgroseclose.com.