John Louis Lorenzo, age 87, of Southbury died November 15, 2017. John was born July 15, 1930 in Bridgeport, CT, the son of the late Louis "Ono" and Mildred "Honey" ( Drew) Lorenzo. John was a graduate of Newtown High School, where he briefly dated his current wife, Joyce Bancroft-Billings Bond. John proudly served in the United States Army during the Korean War, and swam for the Army team. Upon his return, John joined his father, Ono, working at Lorenzo's Pizza by the shores of Lake Zoar. During this time, he earned an engineering degree from the University of Bridgeport. He worked for Pitney Bowes for much of his life, where he acquired 16 patents; his most successful patent was a computer-based timing device that is widely used to this day.

After John’s retirement, he and Joyce enjoyed traveling in the U.S. and abroad, frequenting Elderhostels and spending many winters in Dunnellon, FL. John had a lifelong passion for water skiing, which he continued to enjoy to the ripe age of 86, and which he shared with his children and grandchildren. He proudly opened his lake-front home to the Leaps of Faith and Wounded Warrior Foundations for many years, as well as numerous foreign exchange students. John was the founder of the Lake Lillinonah Lake Police, and an active member of the Lake Authority for many years. An inventive and creative person, he attended SUNY’s Creative Problem Solving Institute for many years. John had a passion for wine making, raising his own vines for many years and engaging in constant battle with the Canada geese to protect them. He was a proponent of the legalization of marijuana, and spoke on this topic at the Connecticut State Capitol at the age of 81.

In addition to his wife, Joyce, John is survived by his loving daughters from his first marriage, Gwen Chabot and son-in-law Tom, Debbie DeSilva, and Cheryl Lorenzo; loving daughter from his second marriage, Joy Lorenzo Kennedy; sisters, Sally Magda and Jeannie Loren; grandchildren, Sasha DeSilva, Anthony and Joseph Sadowski, Loren Zoe and Griffin Kennedy; step-children, Greg Bond (wife Jean), Jonathan Bond (wife Donna), Jennifer Bond Knecht (husband Tom); 13 step grandchildren, Jody, Godfrey, Janice Archembault, Jon Bond, Matthew Bond, Sarah Bond, Lauren Bond Perez, Douglas Bond, Nathaniel Bond, Thomas Knecht, Jared Knecht, Kristina Arpin, Amy Ledger, and Kelly Chabot; and many great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. He was pre-deceased by daughter, Joan, and step-son, Wayne.

A life well-loved and well lived will be celebrated on Sunday, December 3rd. Friends are invited to attend calling hours from 10am to noon at Honan Funeral Home, 58 Main Street in Newtown, followed by a remembrance celebration at Lorenzo’s Restaurant in Sandy Hook from noon to 4PM with a candle-lighting celebration at the lake at sunset. To leave an online condolence visit www.honanfh.com In lieu of flowers, the family gratefully requests your donation to two causes near and dear to John’s heart: Leaps of Faith Adaptive Skiers (http://lofadaptiveskiers.org) or the Wounded Warrior Project (http://woundedwarriorproject.org).

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