Obituary of John L. Lorenz

John L. Lorenz, 84, of Morrill, passed away peacefully on Monday, Oct. 8, 2018, at home, from complications due to prostate cancer. Born in New York City on April 16, 1934, to Keith Lorenz and Helen Laimbeer Lorenz, John was educated at private schools in New York and New Hampshire before attending Harvard University, graduating in 1955. Married in 1954 to Carmen Natasha Simpkins of Manchester by the Sea (MBTS), Mass., he served in the U.S. Army from 1955 to 1958 on Nike missile sites in El Paso, Texas, and Bristol, R.I., before settling down on Boston’s North Shore with his wife and two young daughters. Three more children soon joined the family, and the five siblings enjoyed an incredibly wonderful childhood full of sports, games, and the occasional reckless adventure, usually instigated by their father. John’s first marriage ended in divorce in 1977, and a brief second marriage to Jo-Ellen Corkery blessed him with another son. John enjoyed a more than 40-year career as a textbook sales rep for several educational publishing firms throughout the Northeast. He was also the founder and president of his own publishing firm, Independent School Press, from which he resigned to spend more time with his children. In addition, he spent four years on the faculty at the Brookwood School in MBTS, teaching history and coaching a variety of sports. After retiring in 1999, John made his permanent home in Morrill, where he had been spending every summer since 1988. John derived great pleasure from reading, movies, following Harvard football and hockey, and watching the New England Patriots; however, his legacy was enriching the lives of countless others with his deeply felt compassion, unmatched congeniality, and wonderful sense of humor. Over the years, he mentored hundreds of youth hockey players, many of whom became his lifelong friends. Above all else he cherished being a father and grandfather to his six children and seven grandchildren. With boundless energy and enthusiasm he taught them how to skate and play tennis, introduced them to poker, chess and backgammon, took them to New York City, Bermuda, and on annual outings to Owls Head and Fort Knox, entertained them with videos and bubble baths in his hot tub, and treated them to Chinese buffet. By example, he also taught them to be kind, love animals, defend the weak and help those less fortunate. Among his favorite activities were walking the many winding “trails” he had created in the woods on his property and hosting his much anticipated annual lobster cook-out, featuring epic badminton and Wiffle ball games in which friends and family competed for coveted trophies. He is survived by one brother Keith Lorenz, also of Morrill; three daughters, Laura Simpkins Lorenz, Diana Lorenz Weggler and Angela Stone Lorenz; three sons-in-law, Russ Dingley, Bob Weggler and Gianni Figliomeni; two sons, Christopher Kennedy Lorenz and John Corkery Lorenz; two daughters-in-law, Gabrielle Brunner and Ploy Lorenz; seven grandchildren, Garth Hess, Ryan Weggler, Olivia Hess Iovino, Rose Weggler, Wilhelmina Weggler, Pearl Weggler and Emilia Figliomeni; and two great-grandchildren, Gregory and Gabriel Hess. In addition, he leaves behind many, many dear friends. He will be laid to rest next to his beloved eldest son, Robin Greenough Lorenz, who predeceased him in 1990. There is no public service; however, donations in John’s memory can be made to P.A.W.S. Animal Adoption Center in Camden at pawsadoption.org, or to Waldo County Pet Food Pantry via gofundme.com/WaldoCountyPetFood, or by check mailed to Waldo County Pet Food Pantry, 34 Field St., Belfast, ME 04915. Or better yet, adopt a homeless kitten and name it Cossacks.