Karl H. Lawrenz

September 13, 1929 - June 7, 2020

Karl-Heinz Lawrenz of Highland, IL, passed away Sunday morning, June 7, at Anderson Hospital after an extended illness. He was 90 years old. A private funeral service will be held on Friday, June 12, in the chapel of Spengel-Boulanger Funeral Home in Highland. Pastor Rob Kirbach of Highland First Baptist will officiate. Private burial will be in Highland City Cemetery. Karl was born in Pomerania (Germany) in 1929. His family endured many hardships during WWII, not the least of which was Karl’s being captured by Russian troops when he was 14, and having to spend 8 months in a Russian prisoner-of-war camp in Siberia. Conditions there were horrible-extreme cold, disease, abuse, horrors of every kind. Karl barely survived. However, nothing-not even that experience-could daunt his loving nature and sense of humor. Because of the conditions in the camp, he developed TB and had to recuperate, post-war, in a sanatorium, which turned out to be a blessing in disguise. There he met his future wife, Inge, with whom he spent 50 happy years prior to her death in 2004. While still in Germany, Karl and Inge had two daughters-Marita and Karin. When the girls were still toddlers, they decided to emigrate to the United States for a better life. In 1959, they came to Highland to join other members of their family who had emigrated the previous year. Karl quickly found work at Basler Electric, and worked there until his retirement. Shortly after retiring, he went to work part-time at the Highland Walmart as a greeter-the perfect job for someone with his outgoing, sociable nature-and continued to work there until health issues intervened. So that his story would not be lost to future generations, in 2012, he published his life story, entitled Gulag #7, which was available for a time from Amazon.com. Karl was always friendly and positive with the best smile, and had a seemingly unending repertoire of sayings, short poems, jokes and puns (mostly in German) that he would consistently drop into conversations to the delight of his listeners. Everyone who met him, loved him. Most importantly, he was a loving and caring son, husband, father, grandfather, son-in-law, brother, brother-in-law, and uncle; an excellent and respected employee; and a devoted member of the First Baptist Church of Highland where he served as an usher and, for a while, part-time custodian. Karl was preceded in death by his parents, Albert and Margarete (nee Czemper) Lawrenz; his loving wife, Inge S. (nee Driesner); and his sister, Elfriede Kubeit, in Germany, Sister In-Laws, Therese C. Boyd, Renate I. Mikoleit, Dorothea Thiems and Brother In-Law - Egon H. Driesner. He is survived by his two daughters, Marita Bennink of Canada and her husband Ben; Karin McMullen of Highland and her husband Pat; a sister Gisela Zelle and brother Siegfried Lawrenz of Germany; Grandchildren - Jennifer (Patrick) Morris, Sandy (Desmond) Janes, Luke (Jennifer) Bennink, Cody (Significant Other Christina) Bennink, Katie (Fiance - Andrew Muncaster) Bennink, Michael L. (Brianna) Jacober, Daniel K. Jacober, Andrew D. (Significant Other Keri Henschen) Jacober, Shawn (Jennifer) McMullen, Jason McMullen, Jennifer (Donnie) Clark Great Grandchildren - Jacob, Addyson, Faith, Michael, Nicholas, Hailey, Alyssa, Owen, Sawyer, Samuel, Elsa, Alexander, Mackenzie, Lillie, Rowan, Alden, Liam and Declan Sister In-Law - Margit R. Lange, Highland, IL Brother In-Law - Manfred H. (Linda) Driesner, Highland, IL Sister In-Law - Hildegard M. Ullmann, Los Angeles, CA Brother In-Law - Arnold G. (Cindy) Driesner, Edwardsville, IL Brother In-Law - Horst L. (Barbara) Driesner, Edwardsville, IL Many - Nieces and Nephews. Karl was a dear, sweet man who was a blessing to all who knew him. He will be sorely missed. Memorials may be made to The First Baptist Church of Highland or Meals on Wheels in care of Spengel-Boulanger Funeral Home, PO Box 187, 1501 9th St, Highland, IL 62249. (Please make check payable to the organization, thank you)