2024 Mar-Apr RETA Breeze

IN REMEMBRANCE

Kenton Graeme Lorenz OCTOBER 11, 1953 - JANUARY 11, 2024

On Thursday, January 11, 2024, at the age of 70, Kenton Graeme Lorenz passed away peacefully in Delaware, Ohio. Born October 11, 1953, in Petaluma CA, to Carl and Joyce Lorenz. The family lived briefly in Seattle Washington, only returning to Petaluma a few years later where it became the family hometown. As a boy, Kenton loved exploring Petaluma, as well as anything mechanical. He often took apart appliances to see how they worked. One of these curious moments to everyone’s dismay was his dismantling of the family clothes washer. When father came home, he found all the parts spread out on the floor. You can only imagine the surprise that gave his father. Once he graduated from Petaluma Hight School, he purchased a Honda 750, and a new love discovered riding motorcycles. While attending and after graduating from Petaluma High School, he worked in his father’s dairy business where he continued to refine his learning and understanding of the distinct types of welding and diary refrigeration equipment. He met his wife Vickie Kirsch in 1973, and they were married in Petaluma on May 3, 1975. Soon after that they moved to the San Juaquin Valley where Kenton continued in his trade in both welding and expanding his mechanical skills that eventually brought him to the food processing industry. After a few years they moved to the Bay Area where Kenton was hired by CREPACO, a business that specialized in the food and beverage, and pharmaceutical sectors. By 1980, they moved to the Monterey Peninsula for Kenton to work for a start-up company making ice on an industrial scale. Kenton and Vickie found their family home in Marina, California, where their son,

Dustin, was soon born in 1982. After the family years had passed Vickie and Kenton divorced. Kenton worked for Kemper Refrigeration for many years, and after the death of John Kemper,Kenton became a shared owner of Kemper Refrigeration. Kenton had made many may friends, in business with his talent of being true to his promise, warm smile and humor. He worked for many well known companies such as DOLE, Fresh Express, River Ranch, Robert Mondovi, It’s It Ice Cream, and Anchor Steam Beer, where the owner, Fritz Maytag and Kenton became friends. In 2019 Dolly Brand and Kenton Lorenz married and moved to the Santa Cruz Mountain region. Upon Kenton’s retirement from Kemper Refrigeration, they moved to Boulder Creek, CA, where they lived until Dolly passed away in December 2021. After Dolly’s death, Kenton moved to Delaware Ohio in 2022 to be closer to his son’s family. Kenton Lorenz is survived by his sister, Randy K Pisani, his brother, Derek Lorenz, his former wife and friend, Vickie Lorenz, his son Dustin and his grandsons, Owen, and Zane. As well as his nieces, Ariana Miller and her family, Jana Pisani and her family, and Juiliana Pisani and her family. There will be a Celebration of Life for Kenton which will take place in Salinas, CA on May 21st from 6-9 pm hosted by Dustin who will travel out from Ohio for the service. Charitable Donations to assist in covering the cost for dinner at the COL or to Mountain Parks Foundation (www.mountainparks.org/ donate) For more information or to RSVP please contact Corine Schreck at 831-297-2554 or via email at corine@ nh3psig.com.

RETA.com 25