Donald D. Lorenzen
Encyclopedia
Donald D. Lorenzen, or Don Lorenzen, (1920–80) was a San Fernando Valley funeral director who was a member of the Los Angeles City Council from 1969 to 1977.
, the son of Dr. and Mrs. Frederick C. Lorenzen. His father was a Danish immigrant and was a medical doctor. The younger Lorenzen attended Elgin High School, Jamestown College
, Glendale City College
and the California College of Mortuary Science. He and Virginia Laux of San Antonio, Texas
, were married on October 2, 1940. They had two sons, David Carl and Jon Robert.
Lorenzen was in the U.S. Air Force during World War II; he and his wife moved to the San Fernando Valley
in 1946 and to Reseda in 1952. He operated his own mortuary and founded a bank. His hobbies were flying his light airplane and motion-picture photography.
He died in May 1980 at the age of sixty.
in 1957–58 and of the San Fernando Valley Associated Chambers of Commerce in 1961–62. He was president of the Valley-Wide Better Government Committee and was founder and first chairman of the West Valley Little League. He was president of the San Fernando chapter of Project Hope
. He won the Valleywide Fernando Award in 1963.
Lorenzen came from second place in the 1969 primary municipal election to win the Los Angeles City Council District 3 seat in the final vote over Howard W. Speer by 32,387 to 23,888. He beat Joy Picus in 1973 in a tight election that demanded a recount; the vote was 27,575 for Lorenzen and 27,027 for Picus. The latter, however, beat Lorenzen in an extremely light vote in 1977, by a vote of 1,148 to 993. Picus said that voters turned against Lorenzen because of the way that the councilman had forced streetlights—and the resulting taxes—upon certain residential districts that did not want them.
In that era (1965) the 3rd District covered the southwest corner of the Valley, including Woodland Hills, Tarzana and parts of Encino, Canoga Park and Reseda
.
magazine off the open shelves of the public library because one of his constituents had read an issue and found "a very dirty story" in it. The commission agreed to ban the magazine from public view for thirty days but make it available to adults on request. Later, it was put back on open shelves for branches that subscribed to it, but public demand had grown so large that there was a waiting list at some libraries. Lorenzen's office, which made another complaint to the commission about photos of nude women in the September 1969 issue had to pay a fine of fifty cents a day for the two overdue copies that it kept out of circulation for two weeks.
to secede from the city and county of Los Angeles and form its own combined city-county government. Fifteen years later, as a city councilman, Lorenzen said he favored a separate Valley government and independent school district
, but described a secession
move as "almost impossible."
of the City Council in his last month there, helped to push through a plan to upgrade the downtown Los Angeles Central Library instead of building a combined library-retail complex
. The plan was developed by architect Charles Luckman
, a contributor to Lorenzen's unsuccssful reelection campaign.
Biography
Lorenzen was born on January 22, 1920, in Elgin, North DakotaElgin, North Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 659 people, 316 households, and 170 families residing in the city. The population density was 814.5 people per square mile . There were 379 housing units at an average density of 468.5 per square mile...
, the son of Dr. and Mrs. Frederick C. Lorenzen. His father was a Danish immigrant and was a medical doctor. The younger Lorenzen attended Elgin High School, Jamestown College
Jamestown College
Jamestown College is a private liberal arts college founded by the Presbyterian Church located in Jamestown, North Dakota. It has about 1,000 students enrolled today and has been co-educational from its founding....
, Glendale City College
Glendale Community College (California)
Glendale Community College is a community college in Glendale, California, USA. It was founded to serve the needs of the people in the Glendale Union High School District which at the time included La Crescenta, Glendale, and Tujunga...
and the California College of Mortuary Science. He and Virginia Laux of San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
, were married on October 2, 1940. They had two sons, David Carl and Jon Robert.
Lorenzen was in the U.S. Air Force during World War II; he and his wife moved to the San Fernando Valley
San Fernando Valley
The San Fernando Valley is an urbanized valley located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area of southern California, United States, defined by the dramatic mountains of the Transverse Ranges circling it...
in 1946 and to Reseda in 1952. He operated his own mortuary and founded a bank. His hobbies were flying his light airplane and motion-picture photography.
He died in May 1980 at the age of sixty.
Volunteer activities
Lorenzen was a president of the Reseda Chamber of CommerceChamber of commerce
A chamber of commerce is a form of business network, e.g., a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community...
in 1957–58 and of the San Fernando Valley Associated Chambers of Commerce in 1961–62. He was president of the Valley-Wide Better Government Committee and was founder and first chairman of the West Valley Little League. He was president of the San Fernando chapter of Project Hope
Project Hope
Project Hope is a Chinese public service project organized by the China Youth Development Foundation and the Communist Youth League Central Committee. Started on October 30, 1989, it aims to bring schools into poverty-stricken rural areas of China, to help children whose families are too poor...
. He won the Valleywide Fernando Award in 1963.
City Council
See also List of Los Angeles municipal election returns, 1969 and after.Lorenzen came from second place in the 1969 primary municipal election to win the Los Angeles City Council District 3 seat in the final vote over Howard W. Speer by 32,387 to 23,888. He beat Joy Picus in 1973 in a tight election that demanded a recount; the vote was 27,575 for Lorenzen and 27,027 for Picus. The latter, however, beat Lorenzen in an extremely light vote in 1977, by a vote of 1,148 to 993. Picus said that voters turned against Lorenzen because of the way that the councilman had forced streetlights—and the resulting taxes—upon certain residential districts that did not want them.
In that era (1965) the 3rd District covered the southwest corner of the Valley, including Woodland Hills, Tarzana and parts of Encino, Canoga Park and Reseda
Reseda
Reseda may refer to:*Reseda , a plant genus also known as mignonette*1081 Reseda, a minor planet that orbits the Sun; named for the reseda plant genus*Reseda, Los Angeles, a suburb in the San Fernando Valley of Southern California...
.
Evergreen Review
In 1969 Councilman Lorenzen asked the city's Library Commission to take copies of the avant-garde Evergreen ReviewEvergreen Review
Evergreen Review is a U.S.-based literary magazine founded by Barney Rosset, publisher of Grove Press. It existed in print from 1957 through 1973, and was re-launched online in 1998...
magazine off the open shelves of the public library because one of his constituents had read an issue and found "a very dirty story" in it. The commission agreed to ban the magazine from public view for thirty days but make it available to adults on request. Later, it was put back on open shelves for branches that subscribed to it, but public demand had grown so large that there was a waiting list at some libraries. Lorenzen's office, which made another complaint to the commission about photos of nude women in the September 1969 issue had to pay a fine of fifty cents a day for the two overdue copies that it kept out of circulation for two weeks.
Secession
As chairman of the Valleywide Better Government Committee in 1962, Lorenzen spearheaded an unsuccessful drive for the San Fernando ValleySan Fernando Valley
The San Fernando Valley is an urbanized valley located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area of southern California, United States, defined by the dramatic mountains of the Transverse Ranges circling it...
to secede from the city and county of Los Angeles and form its own combined city-county government. Fifteen years later, as a city councilman, Lorenzen said he favored a separate Valley government and independent school district
School district
School districts are a form of special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools.-United States:...
, but described a secession
Secession
Secession is the act of withdrawing from an organization, union, or especially a political entity. Threats of secession also can be a strategy for achieving more limited goals.-Secession theory:...
move as "almost impossible."
Central Library
Lorenzen, a lame-duck memberLame duck (politics)
A lame duck is an elected official who is approaching the end of his or her tenure, and especially an official whose successor has already been elected.-Description:The status can be due to*having lost a re-election bid...
of the City Council in his last month there, helped to push through a plan to upgrade the downtown Los Angeles Central Library instead of building a combined library-retail complex
Shopping mall
A shopping mall, shopping centre, shopping arcade, shopping precinct or simply mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version...
. The plan was developed by architect Charles Luckman
Charles Luckman
Charles Luckman was a businessman and an American architect, famous as the "Boy Wonder of American Business" when he was named president of the Pepsodent toothpaste company in 1939 at the age of thirty...
, a contributor to Lorenzen's unsuccssful reelection campaign.