John Lenz

1927 - 2014

July 2, 1927 ~ March 7, 2014
John William "Bill," Lenz died in Salt Lake City, Utah at 11:10 AM on March 7, 2014. He was 86 years old.
He was born in Wausau, Wisconsin on July 2, 1927, to Gertrude and Walter Lenz. He was preceded in death by his parents, and by his brother Walter "Jake" Lenz.
He attended the University of Chicago as an undergraduate, and received a Ph.D in Philosophy from Yale University. He lived in Providence Rhode Island and taught Philosophy at Brown University for many years. His academic interests included the Philosophy of Law, Ethics, and Classical Greek Philosophy.
He was a founding member of the Rhode Island ACLU, and was active in the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960's. He believed strongly in the need for quality public education. He enjoyed fishing, gardening, classical music, and visual art, and was an active and engaged father to his children. He moved to Salt Lake City in 1999.
He married Carolyn Ruth Swift; they divorced after 28 years of marriage, but remained loving friends until her death in November, 2013. He is survived by his two sons, Thomas Matthew Lenz (Weston, Massachusetts), his son Peter Swift Lenz, his daughter in law, Carol Ann Lenz, and his two grandchildren David Eoin Lenz and Meredith June Lenz.
He donated his body to the University of Utah School of Medicine. His ashes will be buried in Wausau, Wisconsin, after his final educational contribution is completed.
We would like to thank the residents and staff at Deseret Care and Rehabilitation at Federal Heights, for their loving care and friendship given to John, and to our friends and co-workers who have provided love and support to our family.