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Jack Lorenz dies
Posted on 05 March 2009
OWAA headquarters is sad to report the death of 41-year OWAA member Jack Lorenz. He died Tuesday while vacationing in California. Conservation giant Lorenz was the executive director of the Izaak Walton League of America from 1974 to 1992. First serving as the League’s editor, Lorenz in his second year was hired as its CEO. During his tenure, Lorenz was honored with the League’s highest honors. He was also co-founder of The Wildlife Habitat Council, and authored several books. A church service will be held at 11 a.m. March 28 at St. Rita’s Catholic Church in Alexandria, Va., with a reception to follow at 1 p.m. at the Alexandria Country Day School on Russell Road in Alexandria. More details about Lorenz’s death are forthcoming. ◊
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4 Comments For This Post
jasonmcgarvey says: March 6th, 2009 at 11:15 am
The thing I admired most about Jack was his sense of humor. We’re finding that less and less in the conservation community these days. If you get a moment, read this article he wrote several years ago: http://www.vabass.com/Features/2002/April.htm. I think it should be required reading for every young person starting a career in conservation.
jvance says: March 6th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
Jack’s death is a real blow on many fronts–the loss of a friend, the loss of a Chief and the loss of someone who fought long and hard as the voice of the Ikes for what’s right. I know it’s especially sad for those of us who knew Jack from his Missouri days on. He was a great guy and a credit to OWAA and to the Chiefs. We will miss him, we will miss his funny emails and we will miss his sage council in the thinning ranks of the Chiefs. With him and Tony Dean gone in less than a year we have seen two pillars of the group knocked down. That means the rest of us need to buckle up and do our best. Hail to Jack and lift a Falstaff in tribute!
mailbox says: March 6th, 2009 at 4:45 pm
From Spence Turner:
I’m deeply saddened. Jack was one of my heroes, both in the conservation community and in the communication community. I first met Jack when he was still in school here at the University of Missouri, and we crossed paths frequently in the years that followed. I talked him into running for the board and was disappointed when he resigned for what he considered ethical violations.
He was one of the most ethical individuals that I’ve known. I will miss him and the conservation community will miss him even more.
Rest in peace Jack. You will be missed.
Bruce Matthews says: March 10th, 2009 at 6:54 am
I served with Jack on the OWAA Board and I served in the conservation community along with him. The very first conservation luminary to walk through the door of the brand new Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation offices was Jack Lorenz, bringing an armful of art he thought should grace our bare walls, and a handful of his infamous “spotted dowls.” Jack mentored me, inspired me, and set a higher bar for me as an outdoorsman, writer, conservationist, board member and association manager. His legacy is tangible and lasting, I suspect more than most of us will ever know.
Thank you, Jack Lorenz.