The Daily Journal piece about the 55th anniversary of the service organization Sons in Retirement got me thinking about a past local luminary, Lorenz Hansen. The DJ notes
SIR was conceived by the late Damian Reynolds in 1958 who then recruited Claus Hink, Lorenz Hansen and Wallace Plummer who held its first luncheon in San Mateo.
The group has about 180 branches in Central and Northern California now and Branch 1 in San Mateo is one of its strongest with about 200 members.
Founding SIR was just one of many, many accomplishments this B'game luminary had. Hansen was the Vice President and manager of San Francisco Bank overseeing its expansion into Burlingame when it was the only lending institution financing home purchases during the depth of the Great Depression. It was Hansen’s clout and influence that convinced the bank to expand into Burlingame which the local papers documented as a “vote of confidence and investment in Burlingame’s future”.
His community involvement was very broad-based. He was the Shriner's long-time treasurer that helped the annual East-West football game gain its fame, San Mateo County treasurer for Gov. Earl Warren's campaigns (prior to his move to the U.S. Supreme Court), and Burlingame District Captain for the War Finance Committe during WWII.
His other Treasuer positions included the San Mateo County Red Cross and the Salvation Army, his presidency of the Kiwanis Club and his Director’s position for the Burlingame Chamber of Commerce after which he was the first person awarded an Honorary Lifetime membership in the Chamber. He also had the good fortune to be in the 13th vehicle on the day cars were first allowed into Yosemite.
The Sons in Retirement publicity is a good memory prod to recall this B'gamer of old who lived here for more than 50 years before passing in 1975.
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