Mark Lorenzo Sr.

August 9, 1951 - August 7, 2025

A Tribute to a Life Well Lived

On the morning of August 7, 2025, Mark Anthony Lorenzo Sr. passed away peacefully at the Carl T. Hayden Veteran's Affairs Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona. He was 73 years old.

Mark was born on August 9, 1951, in Sebastopol, California, to Martin Antonio Lorenzo Sr. and Wilma Lucile Moberg. He grew up in the Sebastopol area with many siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.

He is survived by his siblings: Susan Lorenzo, Michael Lorenzo, Martin Lorenzo Jr. (Denise), and Gregory Lorenzo; his Tita's: Carmen Lorenzo-Kozlowski and Ann Lorenzo; his uncle: Gary Moberg; his closest first cousins: Perry Kozlowski, Cindy Hayworth, and Carol Every; his children: Christina Lorenzo (William), Mark Lorenzo Jr. (Katy), Carrie Lorenzo, and Lisa Lorenzo (Sam); and his grandchildren: Shane and Maycee Nagel (Christina), Mark III and Kylie Lorenzo (Mark), Jazmine Salazar (Carrie), and Oliver and William Brubaker (Lisa).

Mark was loved and cherished by all who knew him. A self-made man with a sharp mind, he could master anything he set out to do. His larger-than-life personality drew people in, and his joy and laughter filled every room.

The second grandchild of Florencio and Julia Lorenzo-natives of Spain-Mark grew especially close to his grandfather, often following him from ranch to ranch while learning the trade. He shared a spirited upbringing with his Kozlowski cousins, filled with mischief and adventure. One legendary story recalls him venturing out on his Honda 90 trailbike with his partner-in-crime and cousin Perry Kozlowski navigating the backroads all the way to the California coast. Whenever trouble arose, Mark's go-to defense was, "me and Perry did it." The two proudly called themselves the "Luigi Brothers" and created countless memories together.

As he grew older, Mark's adventurous spirit took him far from home. In 1969, he enlisted in the U.S. Army as a Combat Engineer and soon deployed to Vietnam in service of his country. Following his honorable discharge in 1972, Mark's entrepreneurial drive flourished. He built a career owning and operating businesses, including the Horseshoe Club in Elko, Nevada, and M&S Trucking where he delivered freight across the continental U.S. in his beloved Peterbilt semi-truck. Once life slowed down, Mark cherished his summers on the Oregon coast navigating the dunes with his pet companion, Buddy, and fishing the waters for King Salmon with his family. Whatever venture he pursued, Mark found success-and adventure-living life to the absolute fullest, with more stories than could ever be told.

Mark's fighting spirit shone brightest in his later years as he faced undiagnosed Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig's Disease. Even in his final days, surrounded by family and friends, he shared stories and laughter, showing the wit, curiosity, humor, and generosity that defined him throughout his life.

A Celebration of Life for family and close friends will be held in October, with details to follow. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly encourages memorial gifts in Mark's name to the ALS Association, in hopes of advancing research toward a cure for this devastating disease.