Lohrentz, Abraham Martens (1885-1962)

Latest revision as of 13:58, 29 August 2019

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1962 Jun 14 p. 3

Birth date: 1885 Oct 23

text of obituary:

Physician, Former Missionary to China Dies at McPherson

McPherson, Kan. — Dr. A. M. Lohrentz, 76, well-known retired physician and surgeon here, died Sunday, June 10, at the McPherson Hospital. He had been in failing health for several years but his death was unexpected.

Funeral services were conducted Tuesday afternoon at the Hebron Mennonite Church near Buhler. Rev. P. A. Wedel, Inman, and Dr. E. G. Kaufman, Newton, officiated.

A native of the Moundridge community, Dr. Lohrentz attended Bethel Academy and College at Newton, and received his medical training at the University of Kansas and Washington University, St. Louis. In 1921 he was married to Marie S. Wollman at Freeman, S. D. and they served as missionaries in China from 1921 to 1927.

Upon his return from China Dr. Lohrentz took specialized training at the University of Minnesota, and in 1929 began practice here as an eye, ear, nose and throat specialist.

Dr. Lohrentz had served terms as McPherson County coroner and McPherson City health officer, and formerly was a member of the Bethel College Board of Directors. He also engaged in medical work in Paraguay under the Mennonite Central Committee in 1945.

Surviving in addition to his widow are two sons, Walter W. of Wichita and Harold C. of Kansas City, Mo.; one daughter, Mrs. Lois H. Enns of Shawnee Mission, Kan.; four sisters and two brothers.

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1962 Jul 5 p. 11

text of obituary:

Abraham Martens Lohrentz was born Oct. 23, 1885, near Moundridge, Kansas, the son of Jacob and Maria Martens Lohrentz. Physical death came quietly and peacefully with his wife at his bedside on Sunday, June 10, 1962, after a short illness, though he had been in failing health for several years. He served God and his fellow men on this earth for over 76 years.

He received his public school education near Moundridge and for a number of summers operated a wheat threshing crew in the Moundridge area, earning money for advanced schooling.

At tent meetings held at the Alta Mills in early 1906 he found his Savior. He was baptized by Elder A. M. Martens at the Hebron Church near Buhler, Kansas on Aug. 12, 1906. He has been a faithful member of this church since that time serving as teacher, trustee, deacon, choir member, and staunch supporter.

He attended McPherson College Academy, Ft. Wayne Bible Institute (Indiana), Berea College (Kentucky), and graduated from Bethel College with an A. B. degree in 1916. Much interested in medicine (following a serious illness with typhoid fever) he attended Kansas University Medical School, receiving a B.S. in 1918, and Washington University Medical School in St. Louis, receiving his M.D. in 1920. He interned for one year at the St. Louis City Hospital.

On July 27, 1921, he married a Bethel College classmate, Marie Suzanna Wollmann, at her home in Freeman, S. D. Together they went to the China mission field of the General Conference Mennonite Church in 1921 for a five-year term of service. Here they went to language school in Peking and he took a short course in oriental medicine at Peking Union Medical College. He started the first hospital in the Kai Chou (Hopei Province) area and helped with physical and spiritual problems of the Chinese until 1927 when all missionaries were forced to leave due to serious uprisings.

Upon returning to the states, because of the tremendous amount of eye diseases encountered in China, he took a two year post-graduate residency in eye, ear, nose and throat work at Minnesota University Medical School in St. Paul.

Settling in McPherson in 1929 he practiced his specialty with deep interest and devotion until two weeks before his death. He served as City Health Officer, County Coroner, had an active interest in Boy Scout work and other community activities. Feeling that not only draft age Mennonite youth should serve in CPS but also that older men should witness to their beliefs away from their general work, he volunteered to the MCC for over a year's service in 1945 to Russian Mennonite immigrants in Paraguay as a specialist, particularly working with eye diseases and fitting glasses. While there he trained two young men to fit glasses for their people, and until recently had these prescriptions filled for them here in the U. S.

He worked untiringly to help his three children to graduate from Bethel College and attain advanced degrees, one each in education, medicine, and architecture. In early 1961 he was presented the Award of Merit by Kansas University Medical School as one of the recent outstanding physicians in the state. In June of the same year he received the Bethel College Alumni Award of Merit.

He served well the cause of Christ and the Mennonite Church as member of the Bethel College Board of Directors, a special supporter of Camp Mennoscah, and utilizing his business sense, as trustee of the Western District Conference and for over 17 years on the board of Administration of the General Conference being treasurer most of this time.

He leaves the following who are saddened, but glad to know he is with the Lord and that they shall meet again: His wife, Marie; three children, Walter W. of Wichita, Lois, Mrs. John F. Enns, and Harold C., both of Kansas City; six grandchildren; four sisters, Elizabeth, Mrs. J. M. Regier, Anna, Mrs. Sam Regier, Sara, Mrs. Gus Gaeddert, all of North Newton, and Sister Agnes of Bethel Deaconess Hospital, Newton; two brothers, Peter M. and David M. Lohrentz of Buhler; one son-in-law, two daughters-in-law, three sisters-in-law, and two brothers-in-law.

Our husband and father was a man of firm and strong convictions for truth and the right and had a deep faith in God as guide and director of life. In his German Bible, to which he often turned, had written his favorite verse, “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.” Ps 32:8.

Memorial services were held Jun 12, 1962, at the Hebron Mennonite Church five miles east of Buhler, Kansas, with Philip A. Wedel and Dr. Edmund G. Kaufman officiating. As former Bethel classmate and China co-worker, Dr. Kaufman used Psalm 32 as the basis of his message. The body was laid to rest beside his parents in the Hebron Cemetery. — The Family.

The Mennonite obituary: 1962 Jun 26 p. 426