Russell C. Lorenzen

Russell Clayton Lorenzen, 90, of Clear Lake/Ventura, passed away peacefully in his home on Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2021. 

A Celebration of Life will occur at a later date. Until then, Russell’s family asks everyone to celebrate that he passed on a beautiful 36 degree January day, with beans up .34 cents, corn up .08 cents and our farmer is now up in Heaven. 

Russell was born on Sept. 4, 1930, on the family farm near Reinbeck. He was the first born of six children of Elmer and Ada (Hanisch) Lorenzen. Growing up in Reinbeck, he graduated from Reinbeck High School in 1949. 

On Aug. 14, 1957, Russell was united in marriage to Frances June Billerbeck at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa. They were blessed, sharing 63 years of life together. 

Russell was a proud U.S. Navy veteran serving in the Korean War on the U.S.S. Princeton. He revered his time of service being three years, nine months and 19 days. A recent highlight of his 90 years was his Honor Flight trip to Washington, D.C. with his son, Sgt. First Class Brian Lorenzen. 

As a lifelong farmer, he raised livestock and tilled the land in Grundy, Tama and Cerro Gordo counties. As a father and farmer, he is fondly remembered to chronicle the daily bean and corn prices, weather, family phone calls and birthdays. His documented data for years on Co-op calendars shows a narrative of his life.  As proud as he was of farming, Russell always said his best crop was his six children. 

Russell is survived by his wife, Frances, of Ventura; children, Brian (Sally), of Steamboat Rock, Iowa, Scott (Sandy Bean), of Ventura, Lori (Bruce) Flatness, of Scottsdale, Az., Dirk (Janis Raybon), of Phoenix, Az., Jill (Steve) Sandvig, of Boone, Iowa and Lynne (Richard) Lorenzen Ward, of Coos Bay, Ore.; 12 grandchildren, Eric (Tiffany) Lorenzen, of Iowa Falls, Iowa, Brock (Mallory Reuter) Lorenzen, of Williams, Iowa, Kassi Cunningham, of Rockwell, Iowa, Hannah (Brett Thomson) Lorenzen, of Clear Lake, Ashley (Casey) Pothour, of Mesa, Az., Leah (Nick) Davis, of Chula Vista, Calif., Tanner Flatness, of Carbondale, Colo., Serena (Zach Taylor) Sandvig, of Columbia, Mo., Claire Sandvig, of Boone, Iowa, Tate Sandvig, of Boone, Iowa, Sierra Ward, of Coos Bay, Ore., and Cedar Ward, of Coos Bay, Ore.; 12 great-grandchildren, Penelope, Margot and Sylvia Lorenzen, Abigail, Kaitlyn and Charlotte Lorenzen, Tarren, Kiara, Lili, Aspyn and Regyn Cunningham and Ainsley Pothour; two siblings, sister, June Meikle of Sturgeon Bay, Wis. and brother, Loren (Luane) Lorenzen, of Traer, Iowa; two sisters-in-law, Marian Lorenzen, of Missouri, and AnnRae Billerbeck, of Reinbeck, Iowa; and many nieces and nephews. 

He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Donn and Bill (Billie Jean); and sister, Sandra (Lee) Seemann.

Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, Clear Lake, was in charge of arrangements.