Theodore Reed Lorentzen, 81, passed away peacefully at his home in Fairhaven, MA on February 5, 2026 after a long neurological illness. He was married to his beloved wife Barbara (Mee) Lorentzen for fifty-three years and was a devoted son, father, brother, uncle, cousin, and friend.
Born on January 4, 1945, in Boston, MA, to Clathie (Mitchell) and Eric R. Lorentzen, Ted grew up in Hull, MA and graduated from Hull High School and Drew University in Madison, NJ. At Drew he ran for the cross-country team and earned a B.A in Political Science and Sociology. After graduation in 1967, he served in the Army National Guard.
Ted worked as a truck driver for his family’s trucking business for thirty-eight years. From 1974, after his father’s death, he managed the business and hauled produce from ports in Newark, NJ, Albany, NY, Wilmington DE, and Bridgeport, CT for Tropical Banana Company and Stop & Shop. Upon retiring in 2006, he worked part-time as a driver and shipper for BMI Surplus in Hanover, MA until 2009.
Ted and his family lived in Hopkinton, MA for twenty-seven years and moved to Fairhaven in 2002. He joined the Coast Guard Auxiliary, Flotilla 65, and bought and restored a 17-foot catboat that he enjoyed sailing in Buzzards Bay. Fascinated by the history of Fairhaven and town politics, Ted served on what became the Marine Resources Committee for eight years and also as a Board member on the Fairhaven Improvement Committee.
Ted found great pleasure in helping many friends in his retirement, assisting in the restoration of a wooden sailboat and in building an outdoor pizza oven and kitchen, tagging along as crew on a sailing trip, and driving elderly friends to appointments. He loved making something old feel new again, be it an old house, an antique truck, a piece of furniture, or an abandoned boat. He lived his life with a spirit of generosity, kindness, good humor, and hard work.
Ted is survived by his wife, Barbara, his son Christian Lorentzen and daughter Allison Lorentzen, both of Brooklyn, NY, his sisters, Katherine Gallagher of Northport FL, and Ann Marie Richards and her husband Ricky of Hopkinton, MA, his brothers and their spouses Paul and Mary Ann Lorentzen of Hopkinton, MA, and Eric and Deborah Lorentzen of Hull, MA, and many cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends.
A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, April 25th at the Unitarian Church, 102 Green Street, Fairhaven at 11am and burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Millicent Library, 45 Center Street, Fairhaven, MA 02719.
