It is with the deepest sadness, that we announce Arthur E. Lorentz-Burnett, Sr., age 95, died on December 12, 2023 surrounded by the love of his family and friends.
He is survived by the love of his life, Carol Ann Lorentz-Burnett, with whom he celebrated 40 years of marriage in May 2023. He is also survived by his children: Arthur “Bud” E. Lorentz, Jr. (Wendy) of Cave Junction, Oregon; Pamela J. Roberts of Lansdale, PA; Craig W. Lorentz of Pattaya, Thailand; Andrew J. Lorentz (Nancy) of Alexandria, VA; his son-in-law, Mark Roberts of Easton, PA, and stepson, Adam Lisbon of Jeanette, PA. Also surviving are 14 grandchildren: Thomas Reed, Chad Lorentz, Jesse Lorentz, Jennifer Martin, Rebecca DeVito, Jared Roberts, Thomas Donahue, Matthew Donahue, Craig Lorentz, Jr., Elissa Hudiara, Rebecca Lorentz, Eva Lorentz, Jonathan Lorentz, and Kathryn Lorentz; 24 great-grandchildren; and 2 great-great grandchildren, as well as his brother, Paul Lorentz (Linda) of Eustis, Florida; sister Grace Lock of Leesburg, Florida; sisters-in-law, Susan Lorentz, of Secane, PA. and Vivian (Bibbi) Yonker Beers of Mundelein, IL., plus several nieces and nephews.
Art was predeceased by his brothers: Donald Lorentz of Secane, PA and William Lorentz of Bechtelsville, PA, a granddaughter, Tygrachet Lorentz of Cave Junction, OR, and his first wife, the mother of his children, Betty Yonker Schmidt of Doylestown, PA.
Art was born in his grandparents’ house in Aldan, Delaware County on to the late Grace (nee Brown) and Walter Lorentz.
Art worked from the age of 13, delivering the Evening Bulletin in his neighborhood. At 16, with World War II raging, he needed to make more money to help his family so went to work for Bartlett’s Trees. He trimmed trees on City Line Avenue for 75 cents an hour, which was good money then.
Art joined the Army at age 18 and was sent to post-war Tokyo, Japan. He was a page at the war crimes trials. Returning from Japan in 1948, he went to work for his father’s employer, Red Arrow Bus Lines, as a mechanic.
Art’s friend, Bud Yonker, introduced Art to Bud’s sister, Betty. They were married in 1950 and moved to Doylestown in 1953. He went to work for Georgia Pacific as a warehouse manager in Hatfield. As his family started to grow, Art went to work for City Lumber, first at Pier 179N in Philadelphia, then had his own office in Doylestown for several years. He was an original member of the Jaycees in Doylestown.
In 1964, Art went to work for Furman Lumber, an independent lumber wholesaler. He worked out of their Merchantville, NJ office until his retirement in 1995.
Art loved people and it showed. He started a form of Little League in New Britain with several other men from the Brittany Farms development. He bowled at Pit-Catcher Lanes and played softball for Doylestown United Methodist Church once the family moved back to Doylestown after he built the house in Clemens Farms.
At the urging of his daughter, the family began to attend Pebble Hill Church. Art loved the Pebble Hill community and made many friends there.
Art and Betty divorced and he married Susan Lisbon in 1978, who came with a son, Adam. He and Susan divorced in 1982 and in 1983 he married Carol. Art and Carol attended St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Glenside after they were married. He became head usher and was the semi-official photographer for church events. He was asked to be a chaperone for fourteen teens on a pilgrimage to Ireland. For many years, he portrayed Saint Nicholas for the congregation.
When Art retired in 1995, he began volunteering in Doylestown Hospital’s Coronary Care Unit, at the prison for VITA and at the polls for District 6. He was the District 6 minority inspector for many years. He was the first person people met when they were in line to vote and “Start with Art” became the saying of the day.
In between his volunteer activities, Art played golf at Neshaminy Valley Golf Course where he met many more friends. The Schneider family were very welcoming and Art had a blast. He began bowling again, too, and joined the senior league at Earl Bowl in Quakertown.
On the way to the golf course or to the hospital, Art would stop at the Bagel Barrel for a bagel and coffee most weekdays. He made a lot of friends there, too.
Art hated the cold, so when a friend invited him to visit once, he fell in love with Saint Simon’s Island, Georgia. From 1994 to 2019, Art spent anywhere from 6 to 10 weeks there starting Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend. He met friends there, too.
In January 2020, Art’s health started to deteriorate and then we hit the pandemic wall. Without Patrick Murphy and the Bagel Barrel staff and friends that Art met there, life would not have been as much fun. Even on Hospice for the past year, Carol would take him in his wheelchair to the “BB” Monday through Friday for bacon, egg and cheese on a salt bagel (not toasted, crispy bacon) and coffee.
Carol and the family wish to express their deep appreciation for the many expressions of love and care shown to Art and his family. Special thanks to Caring Hospice, particularly Nurse Sue, Social Worker Terri, the CNA’s and Dr. Abramowitz and to the staff of the Bagel Barrel, Doylestown.
Family and friends are invited to greet the family from 4 to 6 p.m., on Wednesday, January 17, 2024 at Reed and Steinbach Funeral Home, 2335 Lower State Road, Doylestown. Relatives and friends are invited to his memorial service at 11 a.m., Saturday, January 20 at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 654 North Easton Road, Glenside, where the family will greet guests from 9 a.m. until the time of the service. Interment will be private.