Russell Clayton Lorenzen

September 4, 1930 - January 5, 2021

Russell Clayton Lorenzen, 90, of Clear Lake/Ventura, passed away peacefully in his home on Tuesday, January 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 September 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 August 14, 1957, Russell was united in marriage to Frances June Billerbeck at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, IA. 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, IA, Scott (Sandy Bean) of Ventura, Lori (Bruce) Flatness of Scottsdale, AZ, Dirk (Janis Raybon) of Phoenix, AZ, Jill (Steve) Sandvig of Boone, IA and Lynne (Richard) Lorenzen Ward of Coos Bay, OR; twelve grandchildren, Eric (Tiffany) Lorenzen of Iowa Falls, IA, Brock (Mallory Reuter) Lorenzen of Williams, IA, Kassi Cunningham of Rockwell, IA, Hannah (Brett Thomson) Lorenzen of Clear Lake, Ashley (Casey) Pothour of Mesa, AZ, Leah (Nick) Davis of Chula Vista, CA, Tanner Flatness of Carbondale, CO, Serena (Zach Taylor) Sandvig of Columbia, MO, Claire Sandvig of Boone, IA, Tate Sandvig of Boone, IA, Sierra Ward of Coos Bay, OR, and Cedar Ward of Coos Bay, OR; twelve 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, WI and brother, Loren (Luane) Lorenzen of Traer, IA; two sisters-in-law, Marian Lorenzen of Missouri and AnnRae Billerbeck of Reinbeck, IA; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Donn and Bill (Billie Jean); and sister, Sandra (Lee) Seemann.