Lorrie Marlene (Iverson/Martinez) Bortz, took her last peaceful breath in the afternoon of March 9th surrounded with love after a long courageous battle with B mantle cell lymphoma. Her final moments were spent peacefully with loved ones at HopeWest Hospice of Grand Junction, Colorado.
Lorrie Marlene Iverson was born in Fargo, North Dakota on September 3rd, 1954 the second of four children to Lloyd Iverson and Francis “Marlene” Luchau.
In 1959, the Iverson family moved to San Diego County and eventually settled in Escondido, California. Lorrie graduated from Escondido High School in 1972. She eventually followed her family to Grand Junction, Colorado upon her father’s retirement in the late 1970’s where she enlisted in the navy.
Taken directly from Lorrie’s August 11th, 2000 Naval retirement ceremony program:
On 29 February 1980. Lorrie M. Iverson enlisted in the U.S. Navy, joining the delayed entry program for Hospital Corpsman. Within the week, a billet opened up and on 07 March 1980, she reported for eight weeks of basic training at Recruit Training Center (RTC) Orlando, Florida:
After recruit training, she attended twelve weeks of Basic Hospital Corpsman "A" School, Great Lakes, Illinois, graduating on 30 July 1980.
Hospital Corpsman Third Class Iverson was stationed at the National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, from August 1980 to November 1981. She worked in the neurology step-down unit and in the Career Counselor's Office where she processed a myriad of requests for "C" schools, reenlistments, and duty stations.
After being selected for "C" school, Hospital Corpsman Second Class Martinez transferred to Naval School of Health Sciences, San Diego, California for training as an Advanced Medical Laboratory Technician, from December 1981 to January 1983. Upon completion of school, she was stationed at the Branch Medical Clinic, Naval Air Station, Fallon, Nevada, from February 1983 to May 1986. She assumed duty as the Leading Petty Officer for this remote laboratory.
Hospital Corpsman Second Class Martinez's next assignment was as the Assistant Leading Petty Officer and Supply Petty Officer for the Blood Bank and Donor Center at Naval Hospital, San Diego, California, from June 1986 to September 1990.
Hospital Corpsman First Class Bortz served as the Laboratory Department's Leading Petty Officer at Branch Medical Clinic, Naval Air Station, Barbers Point, Hawaii, from October 1990 to June
1994. Returning in July 1994 to San Diego, California, she attended four weeks at Instructor Trainer School, Service School Command, Naval Training Center. Petty Officer Bortz was stationed at her present command, the Naval School of Health Sciences, in August of 1994.
While onboard, she has served as an instructor for Advanced Laboratory Technician School and as a Curriculum Manager for several advanced schools in the Academic Services Department.
Hospital Corpsman First Class Bortz has devoted many of her off duty hours organizing staff and students for the Partnership in Education with Loma Verde Elementary School; volunteering for the Children's Literacy Book Fair and Operation Stand Down for Veteran's at San Diego High School. She has donated 50 single donor units of platelets at the Naval Medical Center San Diego Blood Bank.
Upon retiring from her naval career in 2000, Lorrie returned to Grand Junction, Colorado and continued her laboratory career (focusing in pathology) at the Grand Junction VA Medical Center until her retirement in 2020.
Lorrie was a devoted mother and friend. Known for her generosity and humor, Lorrie will be dearly missed by all who knew her. Lorrie’s family asks that she be remembered for the joy and laughter she brought to others in life not the sadness of her illness and passing.
She is survived by her children: Kirstin Martinez (of Fruita, CO), Aaron Bortz (of Grand Junction, CO), and Megan Bortz (of Corvallis, OR), her goddaughter: Mitzi Crabtree (of Grand Junction, CO), and an extended group of family and close friends.
A celebration of life for Lorrie will be held Friday, April 5, 2024 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM at Martin Mortuary, 550 North Avenue, Grand Junction, CO 81501. Following the celebration of life will be a military honors from 3:00 PM to 3:20 PM at Veterans Memorial Cemetery of Western Colorado, 2830 Riverside Parkway, Grand Junction, CO 81501.
Attire: Lorrie loved purple! It would be so fitting and lovely to look out and witness a sea of purple.
Lorrie always made herself of service to others with her time, money, prayers, and even her blood & platelets to so many and it seems right to pass that love and service forward. Thank you.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to one the following amazing charities.
Hope Lodge:
https://raiseyourway.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=cms.page&id=1022
Wounded Warrior Project:
https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/donate
HopeWest:
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