Edward Lorentz, age 88, of Cannon Falls, passed away on Saturday, January 13, 2024, surrounded by his family at the Mayo Clinic Health System Cannon Falls.
Ed was born on March 29, 1935, in Hastings, the son of Frank and Mathilda (Schaffer) Lorentz.
He graduated from Cannon Falls High School in 1954. On June 22, 1957, Ed was married to Mary Ries at St. John the Baptist Church in Vermillion. As a young man, Ed worked for the Roiger-Freeberg Grocery Store until 1963. He then worked a few years for St. Paul Ammonia plant. In 1968, Ed and Mary purchased the Bremer Locker and founded Lorentz Meats, which they ran until he “semi-retired” in 1998.
Ed was active in his community. He served over twenty years in the U.S. Army Reserve, retiring in 1977 as a Command Sargent Major. Ed was a longtime member of St. Pius V Catholic Church. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus, the Cannon Falls Rotary, the Chamber of Commerce, and the American Legion. Ed served on the Cannon Falls School Board. He was active in the Minnesota Association of Meat Processors, serving as President in 1981. Ed and Mary served as Co-Executive Secretaries for this organization for 13 years. He was active as a
volunteer for the Cannon Falls Food Shelf and the Cannon Valley Fair. Ed enjoyed
woodworking, sharing good food, and travel.
Survivors include his wife Mary, sons Tom (Beth) Lorentz, Rob (Julie) Lorentz, and Mike
(Brenda Myran) Lorentz; grandchildren Andrew, Katherine, Jill (Tommy), Jen (Dan), Maya, Simone, and Thomas; great-grandchildren Edsel, Alexi, Kaiya, and Katara; sister-in-law Kay Lorentz; as well as many nieces and nephews. Ed was preceded in death by his parents and his brothers and sisters Sr. Mary Bona, Nick (Martha) Lorentz, Jerome (Marie) Lorentz, Ann (Irvin)
Freeberg, Francis Lorentz, Joe (Mary Jane) Lorentz, Mary (Carl) Hoffman, and Peter (Pearl) Lorentz.
There will be a visitation on Thursday, January 18, from 4:00–7:00 p.m. at St. Pius V Catholic Church, 410 Colvill St. W., Cannon Falls. There will be a memorial service, also at St. Pius, on Friday, January 19, at 4:00 p.m., with a visitation one hour prior to the service. A meal will follow the Memorial Service on Friday.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the St. Pius V Catholic Church, the Cannon Falls Food Shelf, or Catholic Charities.
LIVESTREAM INFORMATION: For those who would like to participate in Ed's service via livestream, you can watch the service on Friday, January 19, at 4:00 pm. It can be viewed by scrolling to the bottom of this page and click PLAY to begin. Please leave a message of support on our Tribute Wall to let the family know you were able to watch the service. If you are having troubles with the Livestream, the service will be available to watch later in the day.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
5839 Highway 19 Blvd, Cannon Falls, MN 55009

What kind of arrangement is appropriate, where should you send it, and when should you send an alternative?
Read more
We'll help you find the right words to comfort your family member or loved one during this difficult time.
Read more
Information and advice to help you cope with the death of someone important to you.
Read moreIf you’re in charge of handling the affairs for a recently deceased loved one, this guide offers a helpful checklist.
Read more
Legacy's Linnea Crowther discusses how families talk about causes of death in the obituaries they write.
Read more
You may find these well-written obituary examples helpful as you write about your own family.
Read more
These free blank templates make writing an obituary faster and easier.
Read more
Some basic help and starters when you have to write a tribute to someone you love.
Read more