Robert Wayne Lorenz

Robert Wayne Lorenz, age 86, passed away surrounded by his family on Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, after a short illness.
Bob, or "Mickey" to his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, was born to Paul and Alta (Hemme) Lorenz on Oct. 22, 1938, in Concordia.
Bob attended St. Paul's Lutheran School and Concordia High School. While in high school, he worked at Alewel's meat processing plant and as a type-setter at The Concordian before and after school. He graduated high school and joined the Navy in the spring and summer of 1956.
Bob married the love of his life, Lois Margaret Fuehring, Aug. 18, 1956, at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Emma. Their daughter, Patrice, was born in November 1957, while Bob was stationed in Newfoundland. He took planes, trains and automobiles to get back to Missouri as quickly as possible to meet his new baby. The young family lived in Norfolk, Va., until Bob's discharge from the Navy in 1960.
Bob worked as a civilian Technical Field Engineer specializing in radio communications for the Missouri State Highway Patrol. He served Troop B (Macon), Troop A (Lee's Summit) and Troop F (Jefferson City) from 1960 until his retirement in June 1998.
Following Lois's death on June 11, 1998, Bob continued singing in the choir at Faith Lutheran Church in Jefferson City and volunteered with the Red Cross. He married Regina Turley April 22, 2001. Along with her daughter, they ran Regina's restaurant, White Stone Inn, in Rich Fountain until 2020. Regina died Feb. 15, 2022.
Bob was a faithful, steady, patient, funny and generous man. He truly enjoyed confirming his faith by worshipping at St. John's Lutheran Church in Schubert the past few years. He was on the "cleaning crew" rotation and in the choir and the Monday evening Bible study group. He also appreciated his men's coffee group on Thursday mornings at Faith – certain issues, including politics and money, were forbidden, and he reported on each week's chosen topic (such as the existence of aliens or pop culture) to his family and friends.
He loved doing puzzles and listening to classical, jazz and 50s music. Bob's daughter and grandchildren treasure fun, funny and sometimes frightening memories of traveling with Bob and Lois – from eating sandwiches packed from home in McDonald's parking lots to going the wrong way down a one-way street in Washington, D.C., to viewing the Old Man on the Mountain during a Thanksgiving Day blizzard.
He shared a love of reading mysteries and Westerns with several family members and neighbors and often passed books around. He also passed along his sweet tooth, at least as early as the time he put chocolate milk in his 8-month-old sister's bottle, and the grandkids knew they could easily talk Mickey into a visit to Central Dairy. Bob was always up for trying new things: he decided to try to learn how to play the piano at age 84, went bowling for the first time with his granddaughters at age 85 and "busted out" of an escape room with his family a few days before his 86th birthday. He got a real kick out of his great-grandkids and loved cheering them on at cross country meets and band concerts in person when he could.
Bob is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Pat and Rusty McGinnis; stepdaughter Tracy Lehmen; grandchildren Tracy Sill, Josh Krahenbuhl, Kelly Schmidt, Corey (Jessica) McGinnis, Taya McGinnis and Kearston McGinnis; and great-grandchildren Kaylor, Noah, Allison, Logan and Brinnley. He is also survived by his sister and brother-in-law Judy and Gene Rittman; brother- and sister-in-law Dr. Larry and Paula Chapman; nephew Jon Rittman; and nieces Sandra (Gary) Bressman, Diane Farris, Vicki (Louis) Rose and Andi (Scott) Lassiter, as well as many Lorenz, Hemme and Fuehring cousins and friends near and far.
Bob was preceded in death by his parents; Lois Lorenz; Regina Lorenz; father- and mother-in-law Henry and Flora Fuehring; sister- and brother-in law Evelyn and Virg Wille; brother- and sister-in-law Mervin and Helen Fuehring; and nephew Steven Fuehring.
Visitation will be at 10 a.m. and the funeral will start at 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 7 at St. John's Lutheran Church in Schubert. Burial will be held at St. Paul's Lutheran Cemetery in Concordia. In lieu of flowers, memorials to the St. John's Kitchen Committee are suggested.
Arrangements are under the direction of HOUSER-MILLARD Funeral Directors, 2613 W. Main St.; Jefferson City, MO 65109. (573) 636-3838. Condolences may be left for the family online at www.millardfamilychapels.com