John was born on June 11, 1932 in San Buenaventura, California. He was the eldest of ten children born to Victor Lorenzana and Isabel C. Garcia. He went to be with his Lord on February 7, 2025, in Clovis, California.
John was a proud ninth-generation Californian and was descended from one of Ventura’s oldest pioneer families. He was a great-grandson of Don Felipe Lorenzana, who, together with Don Reymundo Olivas, were given a 4,670-acre Mexican land grant in 1841 by then-Mexican governor Juan B. Alvarado, in exchange for their service to the Mexican Army. Originally known as the Rancho San Miguel Land Grant of Ventura County, it changed ownership through the decades, and is currently the site of the Olivas Adobe, a California Historic Landmark on the National Register of Historic Places.
John graduated from Ventura High School in 1950, and upon graduation, he enlisted in the US Navy. He served honorably from 1951 to 1955, assigned to the USS Cimarron as a boatswain (bosun) during the Korean Conflict. After leaving the Navy, he attended Ventura Junior College and then transferred to Humboldt State College in Arcata, California, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Wildlife Management in 1959.
John met the love of his life, Ermalinda Pulido in 1955 after his honorable discharge from the US Navy. They were married on June 22, 1957, at Mission San Buenaventura. Their nearly-68 year union was blessed with five children,12 grandchildren, and 14 great-grandchildren. Together they enjoyed raising their children in Willows and Clovis, and hosting family holidays through the years. They loved their Legacy Christian Church community.
In 1961, John began his full time employment of 35 years with the US Department of Agriculture Forest Service. He proudly served 6 years in the Los Padres (Ojai), 10 years in the Mendocino (Willows), and 19 years in Sierra (Fresno/Clovis) National Forests. He officially retired in 1995. Upon retirement, he volunteered for an additional 24 years with the Sierra National Forest. He began his career in the position of Wildlife Biologist, and then worked as a Range Management Specialist most recently in Region 5 until his retirement in 1995. John’s efforts contributed to the completion of annual forest management plans, endangered species lists, and the publication of a plant identification guide. As a younger forest employee, he also assisted in seasonal fire suppression, first as “boots on the ground”, and later as a coordinator of fire suppression resources during major fire events. He also assisted with training and mentoring new employees. He highly treasured the many lifelong friends he made over the years working for the US Forest Service. A proud highlight of his post-retirement work is being the recipient of several Volunteer of the Year awards, a Lifetime Achievement Award, a National-level recognition for his 10,000-plus hours of volunteer service, and also the National Volunteer Enduring Service Award for his contribution to the training and mentoring of Rangeland Managers, enhancing their knowledge and skills in field study methods and plant identification necessary to perform their duties. Additionally, the award recognized his major contributions toward the 2017 publication of the USDA Forest Service Plant Guide for Resource Managers, for which he painstakingly updated current scientific nomenclature and other technical information.This publication serves as an invaluable tool for the entire Pacific Southwest Region 5.
John was a proud member of Los Californianos, an organization dedicated to the preservation of the heritage of the early Hispanic Alta California. He spent his final years completing extensive genealogies for his numerous family members, as well as for his fellow members of Los Californianos whom he lovingly referred to as his Primos and Primas, as they discovered they shared many common Alta California ancestors. He loved to attend the quarterly meetings throughout California, where he would join other musically-talented members to play his guitar and sing the early California songs of their ancestors. John passed on his love for musical instruments, notably the guitar, and singing to his children and grandchildren. A favorite memory by his children is being serenaded with Spanish songs on the weekends and listening to his LPs on the stereo. Two notable favorites are Pedro Infante and Jorge Negrete.
John enjoyed fishing for steelhead with his father, brothers, and cousins in the Ventura River (before the Matilija Dam). Later, in the Sacramento River in Glenn and Butte Counties, as well as throughout Sierra National Forest while on pack trips in the high country, or fishing the local lakes with his sons. He was also an avid duck and deer hunter. He especially enjoyed his time spent deer hunting with his family on his son-in-law’s ranch property. John loved to watch all sports, especially college football and basketball. He proudly attended every school-related and sporting event for his children (swim team, football, cheerleading, band concerts, karate, soccer). He assisted with coaching the Willows Hydro-Jets swim team for a time, and served as timer and starter for the all the swim meets. He was part of the chain gang for the Willows Honkers football games now and then. He was an avid reader and a lifelong learner, always researching history (especially early California history), botany, the latest fly-tying techniques, and keeping abreast with the latest political news of the day. He was well-informed on many topics. He was proud of his beautiful powerpoint presentations he created at age 90 for the Los Californianos meetings.
John is preceded in death by his parents, Victor and Isabel, sisters Isabel Lorenzana and Francis Nichols, and brothers Frank and Robert Lorenzana. He is survived by his lovely bride Ermalinda of 67 years, daughter Annamaria (Marlon) Daly, daughter Juanita Lorenzana, son John (Lisa) Lorenzana, daughter Angela (Paul) Gillispie, and son Michael (Theresa) Lorenzana. He also leaves grandchildren Amanda Daly, Jennifer (Nathan) Jaime, Casey (Jahmaal) Sawyer, Samantha (Ricardo) Alvarez, Joseph Torres, Joshua (Tessa) Gillispie, Dana (Ben) Mollet, Regan Melendez, Sydney (Juan) Gomez, Michael (Veronica) Lorenzana, Audrey Lorenzana, and Jadyn Lorenzana. His 14 great-grandchildren are Isabelle and Eli Jaime; Laylah, Izaiah, and Haizel Brogdon; Noah and Luca Alvarez; Autumn and Kinsley Mollet; Leona and Michaiah Sawyer; Michael Lorenzana, Jr.; and Jamie and Jack Gillispie. John’s surviving siblings are Thomas Lorenzana, Mary Noel, Carol Shively, Victoria Judd, and Joseph Lorenzana. He also leaves behind numerous nieces and nephews.
As per his wishes, John was cremated by Boice Funeral Home. A Celebration of Life service is to take place on Thursday, March 20, 2025 at The Legacy Christian Church, 2171 Villa Avenue, Clovis, California 93612 at 9:30 a.m.
Following will be a Memorial Graveside Service with Military Honors and Interment of Remains at 11 a.m. at Clovis Cemetery, 305 North Villa Avenue, Clovis, California 93612.
A lunch reception will immediately follow, location to be announced after services have concluded.
