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He was born in Silverton to Andrew and Marjorie (Hayes) Lorence and was raised on the family farm in the Waldo Hills. At age 16 he received a football injury that left him with a fused hip joint and a left leg two inches shorter than his right leg. Following his recovery he was determined that a “short leg” would not define or limit his quality of life. So what if he could not run fast or ride a horse, he could still work harder, longer or smarter than others to accomplish his goals. In 1936 the family moved to Yakima, Wash., where he met and married Kathleen Pollock in July, 1940. They enjoyed a 71-year marriage and had a son, Robert James and a daughter, Kathleen May.
Charles was a dedicated family man who believed in a strong work ethic and traditional family values. During the depression years he worked any job he could find and briefly moved the family to Seattle to work at Boeings prior to going to Alaska to work on the construction of the Alaska Highway as a truck driver and mechanic. Following the end of the war, Charles returned home served as a truck driver and mechanic following Turtling around the state of Washington for five years. In 1949, he joined his brother (Bob) and brother-in-law (Al Pollock) to build and operate ABC Service Station and Garage in Umatilla.
In 1962, Charles and Kathleen moved the family to Easton, Wash., where they built and operated Lake Easton Resort for 12 years. During this time Charles also worked as a building contractor building a dozen A-Frame cabins in the Easton-Cle Elem area as well as driving a snow plow keeping the pass clear in the winter and logging trucks in the summer.
In 1973 they sold the Resort and spent the next 38 years salmon fishing at the mouth of the Columbia River and Alaska as well as traveling throughout the U.S. and Canada in their travel trailer. Ultimately they became “snowbirds” spending 38 winters at Good Life RV Resort in Mesa, Ariz. In 1999, they returned to Umatilla to spend their summers near their extended family. Charles was revered by numerous nieces and nephews who enjoyed his numerous stories of life on the farm, the depression era, fishing and working in the North Country as well as his many lectures on life in general that always ended with “work hard, save your money and pay your taxes.”
Charles was preceded in death by his parents; his wife of 71 years, Kathleen; and his brother, Robert Andrew. He is survived by his sister, Ruby Snoey; his son, Robert James and wife Judith; daughter, Kathleen McManus and husband Thomas; grandchildren, Jon Charles Lorence and wife Tricia, Robert Alexander Lorence and wife Dee, and Jennifer Westling and husband Craig; and seven great-grandchildren. He took special pleasure in giving his grandchildren lectures dealing with ethics, family values and the benefits of higher education and saving their money.
A celebration of lives of Charles and Kathleen is scheduled for Jan. 31 at the First Christian Church in Hermiston at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to First Christian Church or The Chaplaincy Hospice House in Kennewick, Wash. Those wishing to express memories may do so on the Condolence Book at burnsmortuaryhermistion.com.
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