Loren Hewitt Lounsbury
Mar 10, 1934 -
Jul 18, 2023
Loren Hewitt Lounsbury passed away on Tuesday, July 18, 2023. He was born on March 10, 1934, in Bismarck, N.D., to parents Hewitt Vernon and Virlie Ester Lounsbury, and moved to Anchorage, Alaska. at the age of 10, in 1944. He considered it his home ever since. Loren graduated from Anchorage High School in 1952, and graduated from Oregon State University in 1957 with a degree in civil engineering. While in Oregon, Loren married his adored wife, Susan Houck, in 1955, and they returned to Anchorage after he completed his degree. Loren served in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Alaska and Korea, and was honorably discharged as a First Lieutenant.
Loren's charisma, generosity and savvy established him early as a leader in the nascent days of the state of Alaska. Upon returning to Anchorage, Loren was the President of Lounsbury and Associates, an engineering, construction management and land surveying firm, until 1985, when he then went on to serve as the Commissioner of Commerce and Economic Development for the State of Alaska. During this time Loren also served as the Commissioner of the Public Utility Commission for the State of Alaska (1967-70), Honorary Consul for the Republic of Korea for Anchorage (1976-82), as a member of the Anchorage School Board (1968-72), as President of the Downtown Anchorage Rotary Club (1971-72), President of the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce (1976), and as a board member of the State Board for Architects, Engineers and Land Surveyors (1974-79). After serving as Commissioner of Commerce and Economic Development for the State of Alaska, Loren set his business sights on international relations. Loren went on to work at International Management Group as a management consultant, eventually earning the title of Chairman of the same company. Loren was proud to have facilitated business operations in the Far East, where he worked with people in Korea to establish businesses in the United States, primarily Alaska.
In Anchorage, Loren continued his service to the local community, serving as a member of the Secretary of the Air Force's Civic Leader's group; President of Commonwealth North, Chairman of the Alaska Railroad Corporation, Providence Alaska Hospital Foundation, the Alaska Command Civilian Advisory Board and the Alaska Korea Business Council; Director of the Alaska State Chamber of Commerce, Enstar Natural Gas Company, First National Bank Alaska and the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts; and as a Partner of C & L Investments. Loren was also recognized in the Alaska Business Hall of Fame in 2002, and he was a recipient of the Republic of Korea Medal of Merit for his work as Honorary Consul for the Republic of Korea.
On a particularly cheeky high school chemistry report card, Loren's teacher reported that, "Loren can, and I believe will, do better than this," and by reading the above, it is clear that he did. Loren was esteemed for his accomplishments in Anchorage and for his business dealings around the world, but his greatest strength was his humanity, and nowhere was this more apparent than in raising his family. His true legacy is his family, and as he was known for saying, ultimately they are his greatest accomplishment. Loren was beloved for his sharp sense of humor, joy, wisdom and dedication to helping and encouraging those around him to become all that they were capable of being. He encouraged his family to see the world and the people in it with the same acuity and compassion that he did, and he spent much of his time imparting these lessons on his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. His Saturday night dinners were cherished by those that had the pleasure of attending, and the laughter generated in his home will reverberate for many years to come.
Loren was preceded in death by his wife, Susan Lounsbury; and brother, Joel Lounsbury.
Loren is survived by his brother, Jon Lounsbury; daughters, Laurel Lounsbury-Hunt, Sydney Lounsbury, Shandra Lounsbury and Diana Rotkis and husband Paul; son, Patrick Lounsbury; grandchildren, Kayleigh Hinton and husband Ryan, Joshua Hunt and wife Anna Creamer, William Hunt, Brandon Rotkis and Luke Repsher and wife Jaime; great-grandchildren, Teagan, Loren Gerald, Ryleigh, Delaney and Camden; and the community he created in Anchorage and around the world through his immeasurable impact through his works. Loren also wanted to thank the efforts of Providence Hospice, Mike Hayes and Feiloagia "Ina" Elisara for their care and compassion.
Loren's ashes will be later placed in the Columbarium Wall at the Anchorage City Cemetery with his beloved wife of 62 years, Susan, with whom he can finally rest again. Memorials may be made to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, the Salvation Army - Anchorage Chapter or a charity of your choice.
Loren was well-known for his desire to have the last word with those that had the pleasure of knowing him, and now his family would like to close with, "We love you more."
