Sr. Mary Amata Lorenz, RSM, died Dec. 20 at McAuley Life Center in Farmington Hills.

Leola and her twin sister, Iola, were born to Joseph and Ann (Schultz) Lorenz in Saginaw on May 29, 1926. She joined the Sisters of Mercy in Detroit, making perpetual vows Aug. 16, 1950.

For almost 40 years, Sr. Lorenz taught students in Berkley, Bay City, Lansing, Grand Haven, Grand Rapids, Hazel Park, Manistee, Parnell and Remus. Along the way, she earned degrees from Mercy College of Detroit and Cardinal Stritch College in Milwaukee.

In 1986, an automobile accident brought an abrupt end to Sr. Lorenz’s classroom teaching, but one year later she began serving as a tutor at St. Michael’s School in Remus, where she also assisted the school and visited homebound parishioners.

Mass of Resurrection took place Dec. 23, 2016, at McAuley Center in Farmington Hills. Burial is in Newaygo at St. Bartholomew’s Parish Cemetery.