Audrey Doreen Schindel (nee Lorentz)

Our beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother, Audrey went home to be with her Lord on Tuesday, May 14, 2025.

She was born on December 6, 1940 to Alma & Gustave Lorentz. Born very premature, she was not expected to survive, but she loved to tell the story of how she was put in a box beside the wood stove and she began to thrive.

Small in stature, but large at heart, Audrey grew up with her two brothers, Donald & Bobbie in Winnipeg. She helped her mother, who was confined to a wheelchair take care of her brothers and father. Gustave and Alma always made church a priority in the family and Audrey loved attending and being an active member of the Lutheran Church of the Cross in Winnipeg.

It was there during confirmation at the age of 14 that she first met a boy named Kelvin Schindel and his sister Ruth Schindel. She remained friends with Ruth and it was through that friendship she reconnected with Kelvin a few years later.

She and Kelvin married on November 27, 1965 and went on to have three children, Bryan, Kathy & Debbie. They lived on the Schindel family farm until 1975 when they moved into town in Teulon, Manitoba. Audrey was very active in supporting St. Peter’s Lutheran Church while they lived there and instilled in her children the importance of attending church and having a relationship with Jesus. In 1976, Kelvin & Audrey felt God’s calling on their lives to dedicate their future to Him and they packed up the family, and headed to Camrose, Alberta for Kelvin to attend Canadian Lutheran Bible Institute.

While Kelvin attended school, Audrey worked part time as a church secretary to support the family and was very involved in her children’s lives. She later went on to become a full time church secretary of Messiah Lutheran Church in Camrose, which she loved, and continued in that role after they relocated to Calgary, Alberta in 1987 at St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church.

Audrey loved singing and she sang in many choirs throughout her life and also shared the Lord through music with the Good News Band and other groups. She shared that love of singing with all her family. She also worked in many ministries, including Stephen Ministries, Women’s Bible Study Fellowship and also continued to learn by taking many Bible classes throughout her life.

Audrey was always quick with a smile, a word of encouragement and never failed to help someone who needed it. She was loved by many and she shared her love for Jesus in everything she did!

Even as she struggled with dementia these last couple of years, she was a joy to those around her. Our family is grateful to the caregivers, nurses and staff at Southwood Care home who helped us all.

Other than her love for Jesus, Audrey’s greatest joy was her family, her parents, her siblings, her extended family and especially her children, her grandchildren and great grandchildren. While she only had three children, she was blessed with many grandchildren and great grandchildren. One of her favourite sayings was “Children are a heritage of the Lord”.

Audrey was predeceased by her mother and father, Alma & Gustave Lorentz; her infant brother, Ronald Lorentz; her brother, Donald Lorentz; and great grandchild, Skyler Schindel.

She leaves to cherish her memory, her husband, Kelvin; her son, Bryan Schindel (Laura); her daughters, Kathy Beckley and Debbie Williams (Christian); grandchildren, Timothy Schindel (Meagan), Sarah Brudi (Joshua), Joshua Williams (Brittney), Annaliese Dolsen (David), Nikki Jathoul (Harman), Bethany Schindel, Hannah Rogers (Evan), Charity Dupree (Christian), Trinity Schindel, Jessika Beckley, Jeremiah Schindel, Mercy Schindel, Ben Schindel and Gloria Schindel; great-grandchildren, Levi, Everett & Austin Schindel, Josiah, Corbin, Finley & Mason Brudi, Jayce & Gracie Williams, Adelaide, David II & Luke Dolsen, Ava, Emma & Sofia Jathoul, Jayla & Mia Miller, Lily Rogers and Amelia Dupree.

A visitation will be held at Shepherd of Peace Lutheran Church at 400 Prince of Peace Way, Rocky View County, AB on Friday, May 23, 2025 from 6 - 8 pm.

The service to Celebrate Audrey’s Life will be held at Shepherd of Peace Lutheran Church on Saturday, May 24, 2025 at 11:00 am with a luncheon to follow. There will be a visitation from 9:30 - 10:30 am at the church prior to the service. It was Audrey’s wish that this be a celebration as she is now in her Saviour’s presence.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her name can be made to Canadian Lutheran Bible Institute, www.clbi.edu/give