Loren grew up in Fairmont, Minn., and graduated from Fairmont High School in 1963. He attended Minnesota State University Mankato, and graduated in 1967 with a teaching degree for grades 7-12 in Spanish and a second major in Sociology. He went on to receive a Master’s Degree from Minnesota State in Special Education: Emotionally Disturbed (1973), a Master’s Degree from the University of Wisconsin River Falls in Specific Learning Disabilities (1998) and a PH.D from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities in Education Policy and Leadership with a collateral field in Psychology.

Loren served in the Peace Corps from 1966-68 and spent most of that time in Bolivia with 32 others. Upon his return to the USA, he enlisted in the Navy within five days. He served in the Navy from 1968-1972. He also served active duty in the Vietnam War.

Loren married Janet Nielsen Gratz in 1970 in Yankton, S.D. The next day they drove to Ocean Beach, San Diego where they lived for two years while he served in the Navy. They had two boys, Nathan and Evan, and were happily married for 46 years before Janet’s passing in 2017. Loren and Janet lived in San Diego and Kodiak, Alaska during his Navy years. The rest of their days living in Hastings, Minnesota, where he was the Director of Special Education for the school district for 25 years before moving to Tucson, Ariz. in 2005 where he worked as a Professor of Special Education at the University of Arizona for 17 years.

He was an accomplished musician who loved music and could play multiple instruments, including the violin, which was his passion. He played in the Dakota Valley Symphony for decades as well as the Tucson Symphony and shared his gift at numerous weddings, memorials and orchestra pits for high school musicals and community theater. He was also the lay choir director at his church in Hastings for many years.

He loved gardening, music, writing, cooking, Arizona Diamondbacks Baseball, all things technology and animals. He had at least one dog in his home from being a little boy on a farm in Minnesota to the final year of his life.

But above any of the credentials, degrees and accolades, Loren cared deeply about people. Especially those who were marginalized and had special needs. He believed that every person should be given a chance at an education. He was kind, wise and listened well. He had an incredible sense of humor and wit. He was patient. He was artistic and creative. And he was humble and selfless. Even in his later years when his health took a turn into chronic pain, he would care much more about others and never complained. On his worst day, he’d first ask you how your day was going and genuinely cared to know the answer. He was loved by so many and the ripple effect of who he was has reached further than he would ever know. He was loved and will be deeply missed.

Loren is survived by his two sons, Nathan Gratz (Marana, Arizona) and Evan Gratz (San Diego); grandson Beau (San Diego); and his sister Jean Zinter (Owatonna, Minnesota) as well as many other relatives and friends.

A Celebration of Life gathering will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 29, at the Marana Mortuary Cemetery. Burial will be at the Arizona Veteran’s Memorial Cemetery in Marana, Ariz.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations be made to Tohono Chul Park, 7366 N Del Norte Paseo, Tucson, Ariz. 85704 or your local Fine Arts program. Condolences may be left on the Marana Mortuary and Cemetery’s online guest book at www.MaranaMortuaryCemetery.com.

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