Oivind Lorentzen Jr. of Greenwich, CT died peacefully on March 27th, 2020 with his children at his side. At the age of 101 he was probably the last of a generation of Norwegian shipowners who came to America as refuge from war torn Europe to build lives and raise their families in a new world.
Oivind was born in Oslo in 1919 to Oivind Lorentzen and Ragna Nilsen Lorentzen. He was a middle child of six in a family to whom he stayed forever devoted.
He left Norway in 1938 to study marine engineering at Technische Universitat Berlin, but the following year was tipped off about the impending invasion of Poland and transferred to Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
After the invasion of Norway, Oivind enlisted in the Royal Norwegian Air Force, training first in Little Norway, Canada. Eventually stationed in the Shetland and Orkney Islands, he piloted Sunderland flying boat patrol bombers over the North Sea for the duration of the war.
After the war and graduating from MIT, he joined his father’s business along with three of his brothers, as fifth generation shipowners. From their bases in Oslo, New York, Rio de Janeiro and Bermuda, the four brothers originally operated the liner trades of their father between the United States and South America. Over time they pioneered new trades and developed specialized vessels in the trading and transport of petroleum gasses, automobiles and cruise. They also ventured into industry, specifically in Brazil. Oivind established himself in New York, and was one of the first of the lower Manhattan shipping community to move his business to Connecticut.
As Chairman of the American-Scandinavian Foundation and President of the Norwegian- American Chamber of Commerce, Oivind was ever present in promoting relations between the two countries. He was named Knight of the First Class of St. Olav’s Order by HRH King Harald in 1980 for his work as attaché for the Norwegian Team at the Lake Placid Olympics.
Building a series of sailboats, named “Froya”, Oivind was a noted member of the post-war generation of ocean racers based in Long Island Sound successfully competing in local and international races. A member of a number of yacht clubs, he was particularly proud of Indian Harbor of which he was Commodore. He was a life-long lover of skiing.
Oivind was predeceased by two wives: Evelyn Byrd LaPrade, whom he met in Cambridge before the War and the mother of his three children, and Dorothy Holzinger Meeker. Erika Hall, his love for the last 20 years, is the reason for his extraordinary will to keep on living.
Oivind lived a full life, rich in his love of people, and in his final hours he asked for only two things: “no aggression” and peace. He had fought for peace and harmony his whole life. With wisdom, generosity and an acute sense of what is right and correct, he achieved both.
Oivind is survived by: Erika Hall and his children, Evelyn Byrd Lorentzen and Oivind Lorentzen III (Darrell) of Greenwich and Ida Lorentzen (Ulf) of Oslo. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Byrdie Bell Fay (Sean), Thea, Lily, Claire, Oivind and Luke Lorentzen and Sandra Lorentzen (Gunnar), and his great-grandchildren, Johannes and Ida Nerdrum Aagaard, as well as his devoted caregivers, Flor, Connie, Jazz, Stuart and Luke.
A memorial service in Greenwich will be planned at a later date.
