Lorenze Karmann

Lorenze Herbert Karmann passed away at the age of 80 on Monday, July 29, 2019.  He was born on December 8, 1938, in Junction City, Kansas, the son of Herbert and Mildred (Erichsen) Karmann.  He attended Acme and Alida rural grade schools in Geary County and the Dickinson County Community High School in Chapman, KS, graduating with his class in 1957.  Lorenze and his cousins, Keith and Cline Karmann, farmed in the Junction City/Milford area until 1962, when their land was purchased for the Milford Lake and Dam. He has farmed in the Clay Center area since 1963.  He married Donna Houdek Walker on December 27, 1970, following the death of her husband Dr. Raymond Walker. He accepted the responsibility of raising four step-daughters, Lynne, Wann, Renee, and Dara Walker. They spent many years together involved in 4-H showing livestock, Girl Scouts, Rainbow for Girls, school activities, college activities and church.  Lorenze became a member of the Clay Center Elks Lodge #2253 in 1963 and became active in the Lodge in 1976 after being asked to sit-in for an absent officer at a meeting. He was Exalted Ruler of the Clay Center Lodge in 1981-82 and served on the board of trustees for 15 years. He was appointed District Deputy Grand Exalted Ruler of Kansas Northeast in 1988-89 and was elected Kansas Elks Association State President 1999-2000.  He became an Elks Ritual Judge in 1984 and judged nine out-of-state ritual contests and Grand Lodge Ritual in 1993 in Portland, Oregon. He and Donna attended 19 Grand Lodge sessions, traveling over the United States.  Lorenze served on the Kansas Elks Training Center for the Handicapped (KETCH) board for 14 years, traveling to Wichita several times a year for meetings. He is also a $2,000 contributor to the Elks National Foundation.  Lorenze was an avid K-State fan and was a member of the "Steer-A-Year Club" for 25 years, donating a steer a year to feed the athletes, and attended most of the men's basketball games during this time. They attended five Football Bowl games, had season tickets to the women's games and traveled to see the women play at most of the Big 12 schools when Nichole Ohlde, from Clay Center, played for K-State.  He served on the Clay County Extension Board for six years and was the Kansas Livestock Assn. County Director for three years. He has been a member of the Masonic Lodge since 1978 and is a member of the Clay Center United Methodist Church.  Lorenze became a Pioneer Seed Representative in 1986 and retired in 2009. At that time he received his 23 year Mantel Clock Award.  He was the "funnel cake fryer" for his wife's "Red Caboose Funnel Cake" business and you would often see them at auctions buying antiques for their "Grandma's Country Memories" antique shop.  But his "real love" was to buy cattle at the livestock auctions in Junction City and Clay Center. He only bought those that he thought would make some money, a slight limp, no tail, one ear and etc. and with his love and kindness for animals he could do that with success.  He was preceded in death by his parents, son Dayne and daughter Lynne.

He is survived by his wife, Donna of the home; daughters Wann and Tom Sharp of
Concordia, Renee and Bob Bohmer, of Kingwood, TX, and Dara and Darrell Touslee, Great Bend; son-in-law Don and Angie Ford of Topeka; grandchildren Aimee Sharp, Austin, TX;
Angela and Todd Lindquist, Linn; Crystal and Benjamin Wallace, Tampa, FL; Mike Bohmer, Clear Lake, TX; Shane Touslee, Norton; Chad Touslee, Topeka; Erica and Dustin Bunce, Topeka;
Aleigha and David Mariott, Stillwater, OK. Four great-grand-children Savannah and Dylan Bunce; Jacob Mariott; Zee Lindquist; a sister Sharon Kitchens, Bashor, and three nieces Kaylynn Johnson, Tammy Hane, and Nancy Freese.

We won't forget that "one fingered' wave, and how can we ever forget that "million dollar" smile. We will forever be inspired by his positive attitude and his expressions ''You Betcha" and "Wife".  Lorenze will be missed by his many Elk friends and families across the State, the buyers at the livestock auctions, his former customers of Pioneer Seed, his church family and his coffee friends.  He will truly be missed by all who had the opportunity to meet him. Those who knew Lorenze know he always had a smile on his face and he never met a stranger. He had a joy for life that was contagious, and he was always a joy to be around.

Services: 10:30AM Saturday, August 3, 2019 at the United Methodist Church in Clay Center, Kansas with Reverend Andrea Beyer and Herb Mugler officiating.

Burial in the Greenwood Cemetery, Clay Center.

Visitation: 4 to 8 PM on Friday, August 2, at the Neill-Schwensen-Rook Funeral Home, Clay Center, Kansas

Memorials to Clay Center United Methodist Church or Kansas Elks Training Center for the Handicapped (KETCH) c/o the funeral home.