The Life and Legacy of Evelyn Denise


Born in Cleveland, Ohio at Mt. Sinai Hospital on May 18, 1954 to family of 8 siblings consisting of six brothers and two sisters.

Her early life in Cleveland developed a keen sense of family between her relatives and siblings who were extremely competitive with each other. Their travels during that time consisted of going to Middlesboro, Kentucky to visit their grandmother, Carrie Williams.  Evelyn enjoyed passing time playing school where she was the principal, and her siblings were her students - this proved to be her calling and life's work.

Maggie then moved the family to Texas with four of her siblings. She attended and graduated from Sherman High School followed by Southeastern Oklahoma State University for her undergraduate studies.

Upon graduation, Evelyn began a journey of service and sacrifice in both her personal and professional lives. Personally, she became a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated. She continued to be an active member of the organization throughout her life, developing many strong bonds of sisterhood and citizenship. She was last a member of the Upsilon Lambda Omega chapter. Professionally, she began a career as an educator. Over the course of her time in the classroom, she touched many lives. Often her former students would reach out or have chance encounters, in which they always emphasized how much she meant to them. In 2007 she furthered her pursuits and graduated from the University of North Texas with her Master's Degree. She went on to be a Public School Administrator, leading campuses and mentoring other educators, until her much deserved retirement.

On July 1, 1998, Evelyn married James Carroll Lorenz.  His words say it best: "I knew when I met Evelyn that I was destined to love her. And that love grew and grew and grew for twenty-six years. During our life together, I counted it an immense pleasure to love her and raise her two boys. Evelyn, I'll love you forever."

On October 17, 2024, Evelyn Lorenz passed into glory at her home. She is preceded in home-going by her mother Maggie Ewing, her brother Robert Lincoln, her sister Patricia Ann, and her daughter Sherry Kraft. She is survived by her husband James Carroll Lorenz, and their sons, Thomas and Cameron DeBose.  She will be sorely missed by all who knew her.