Farmer-Focused Former National Farmers Staff Member Lorenz Passes Away
Four-decade-long former National Farmers staff member Pete Lorenz, Beloit, Kansas, passed away May 1. He was 76.
Lorenz was known for his farmer-focused approach and promoted the need for farmers to group market to receive more income from the marketplace.
“Pete was a dedicated professional and helped thousands of farmers through the years,” said Harold Walker, National Farmers Grain Division leader. “He had a big personality, and believed when it came to marketing grain, it was full-speed ahead.”
A former Grain Division director and a farmer at heart, he maintained friendships with many of the producers he worked with. Lorenz was extremely proud of his military service, retiring from the National Guard as a master sergeant. He served for nearly 30 years.
A North Dakota native, Lorenz was fond of older Case self-propelled combines and did custom wheat cutting for his neighbors during his early years.
“In Kansas, when people think about National Farmers, they immediately think about Pete,” said Theresa Seiler, National Farmers grain marketer. “He is the one who got a lot of people to join and his marketing advice was very important to us all.” “In all of our business and personal dealings, Pete was a man of integrity,” said Phil Schmidt, a Kansas producer and National Farmers member.
A lifelong Catholic, Lorenz was an active member of St. John’s Catholic Church in Beloit, Kansas. He was particularly pleased to establish the Pete and Nancy Lorenz Family Scholarship with his wife, Nancy.
“National Farmers lost a dear friend, an outstanding person, and grain marketer this past month,” Walker said. “Godspeed Pete Lorenz, your legacy lives on.”
