Greetings family and friends, I have a real treat for you today! I have asked my lifelong friend Tom Lorentzen to reflect on his memories of growing up on Forest Avenue in Castro Valley in the 1940's and 50's. The Ralph's and Lorentzen's were neighbors and shared many of the same experiences. Billy and Jimmy, Peter and Tommy played together, attended the same schools, and grew up in a much simpler time. I also asked Tom to include a biography of his "Post-Forest Avenue" professional life and accomplishents. Included are 3 photos: (1) Elsie, Ed, Tom and Peter Lorentzen (2) "Our Gang", left to right: Peter Lorentzen, Billy Ralph, Dennis Martin, Luanne McKenny, Johnny Baker, Allen McKenny, Jimmy Ralph (3) Tom Lorentzen performing as John Steinbeck in Steinbeck on Steinbeck: Reflections on Travel's with Charlie and America Americans. Enjoy!
The Ralph’s and the Lorentzen’s
Two Forest Avenue Families in Castro Valley
By Tom Lorentzen
February 11, 2021
It is now 2021 and I am 75 years old. My earliest memory in life is when I was three years old. It is from attending the wedding of my father’s cousin in late 1949. At the same time, throughout my life there are memories from 1949 to the present that involve the Ralph family. We were neighbors on Forest Avenue. Bill and Connie Ralph were perhaps the first friends to greet my family after we moved out from Brooklyn in September of 1946. My dad – Edwin, worked as a personnel officer for the Hawaiian Steamship Company. Although it was based in San Francisco, the ships were drafted to run supply runs for the war in the Atlantic Ocean and in Europe. With that, he was sent to live in New York to work on that supply process. It was there that he met my mother, Elsie. After the war ended my dad convinced my mother to move to California, which is where he was from. She agreed, taking their two sons (Peter & Tom) and her father, Carl, and driving across the country to where my dad’s parents lived, which was the end house on Forest Avenue along Heyer Street in Castro Valley. It was a house that my grandfather built and is still there.
Within a few months my parents bought a house down the street, which as one house away from the Ralphs. It was there and then that a lifelong friendship developed between the two families. From my perspective, the Ralph family was always present, whether close or distant, throughout my life. This has been a good thing, because the Ralph family is a good family and they have been a good influence upon my family, including myself. Hence, the value of writing about that friendship for both families.
Bill and Connie Ralph were not only excellent neighbors and friends – they were nice and thoughtful people. They were like an uncle and aunt. Their home was always shared with us. In retrospect, they were like “Uncle Bill” and “Aunt Connie.” They were always nice, supportive, and protective of us little kids on Forest. An unknown and embarrassing fact is that Connie helped my mother in “potty training” me. Heaven forbid that I remember that, but it was an important skill to learn. Now, at 75, hidden secrets can be shared!
The years among the four families were in close juxtaposition. Of the four of us guys (Debbie had not yet made an appearance), Bill was the oldest, followed by my late brother - Peter. Jim was next in line in terms of age and I was the youngest, being one year younger than Jim. Many birthdays and Christmases were spent together. To this day, whenever I think of cupcakes, I think of Connie. She made great cupcakes at home. I can still remember the smell and the taste of them.
Across the street from our homes was a field, which we called “Johnson’s Lot.” It was owned by a man named Johnson, who later built a home on the lot. Beforehand, however, it was a field of adventure. It was a place to play upon and explore. Of particular interest was that behind it there was a creek that meandered behind the trees. It was a place of adventure and exploration. During the winter it could flow with potency, while in the summer it would diminish to a trickle. Yet – it always flowed, even with little water or energy. There would be tadpoles in the water. Most would not survive, but some would and matured into becoming frogs. It was an early lesson in science. The same with plants, wildflowers, and trees that grew with personality along its banks. It was a learning place for me. Many years later I wrote about it in a column that I have been writing for years in the Castro Valley Forum. The essence of the article was that most everything that I learned in life I first learned from hanging out along the banks of Castro Valley Creek. It is a view I still maintain.
Bill, Pete, Jim, and I would often play together. The Ralph home was always a warm and friendly place to hang out. This became particularly true when they got their first TV set. It was probably in 1950 or 1951. It was something new, as prior to then my only experience with the external world was through radio. I can still remember listening to “The Shadow” and “The Lone Ranger” (Oddly, the announcer from the radio show is now a friend in a men’s club where I am a member. His name is Dave Parker and is now 95 years old. His voice is still magnificent!). When the Ralph’s got the TV, however, it was a new way to experience things, particularly outside of our Forest Avenue neighborhood. Of particular importance was one show – “The Howdy Doody Show.” This show, along with Castro Valley Creek, was where I learned most of what I ever needed to learn in life.
In 1952 my parents got a TV set of their own. It was an Admiral set, and, of course, was black and white. At that point I could watch Howdy Doody in our own living room. This was a big thing for me. The disappointment, however, was not being able to have a cupcake made by Connie as I watched the show.
A memorable event happened among the four of us in about 1954 or 1955. We were throwing a football among us on the street in front of my parent’s house. The football rolled up on the neighbor’s lawn across the street. He was a big man and known for being mean. Bill went onto his lawn to retrieve the football and the man rushed out and picked Billy up off the ground and shook him and yelled at him about staying off his lawn. It frightened us. When my dad came home, we told him what had happened. My dad was very skinny at the time. The bully across the street outweighed him by at least 75 pounds. My dad went across the street and confronted the man. I watched from behind the walnut tree in our front yard. I was afraid for my dad. The bully yelled at my dad. I watched in fear. Then, suddenly, a county sheriff’s car pulled up in front and an officer got out to tame the situation. My dad had been a volunteer deputy sheriff and wisely called in to the sheriff’s station and asked for someone to come over. It was a smart move by my dad as the bully would have easily whipped my dad if a fight had occurred. It also taught me a lesson in courage. My dad had the courage to confront the bully and address the situation. He also had the intelligence to call in for support. It was a lesson I later used in my own life.
As the years and decades went by our interactions became less and less. Yet, my parents maintained a close friendship with Bill and Connie. When I was living in Reno and later in Las Vegas my mother would suggest that I go and visit the Ralphs when I was in town. It was not only kind of her to suggest, but wise. Every time I was in the living room at the Ralphs I felt at home. They were always great to visit with and to learn from.
On one of those visits my mother suggested that I call Mr. Ralph and invite him out for a drink. Mom even suggested that I take him to San Francisco. I did as Mom suggested and Mr. Ralph and I rode BART over to the city. It had only recently opened. We got off at the Powell Street Station and walked up the street. We walked slowly as he was having some trouble walking. We ended up in front of the St. Francis Hotel across from Union Square. There was a nice bar at the front of the hotel and suggested we go in there for a drink. Mr. Ralph was hesitant – almost shy about going in. He felt he was not dressed properly. He said it would be expensive. I told him he was my guest and that I wanted to take him into the St. Francis. He relented. We had one drink and a great conversation that night. I still think of it every time I am in that location.
Now – decades later from when the friendship began between the Ralph and Lorentzen families there is great return on that investment of time. Every memory of the Ralph family is a good and warm one. As age progresses, these good and warm memories mean more than ever.
The Life of Tom Lorentzen
Prepared for the Ralph Family
March 14, 2021
Tom barely made it into the Baby Boom generation, being born on January 3rd, 1946 (the generation starting point was Jan. 01, 1946). He, like his brother, Peter, was born in Brooklyn, N.Y. The Lorentzen family moved to CV in September of 1946. Tom’s grandparents lived there at the end of Forest Ave. at Heyer Ave. Within a few months his parents bought a home down the road near the Ralph family, which birthed a family friendship of 75 years.
Although Tom grew up in CV, a closeness also existed with family in Brooklyn and in Huntington on Long Island. When possible, summers were spent in those two towns. It provided him with a bi-coastal sense of America & Americans.
At age 4 he had a near-death experience by falling out of a car while his father was backing up. The 1948 Buick went over his body & he was assumed dead. Yet, he surprised everyone by opening his eyes. Rushed to the hospital, it was discovered that the car went over the one spot on his body where he could survive. It went over both thighs & in between the pelvis & knees. Miraculously, neither leg was broken. He was bedridden for a while, yet able to resume a normal life & be in the first kindergarten class at Marshall School in 1950. From that point forward he felt fortunate about life & being alive. He learned it can end quickly.
Tom went through the CV school system & attended Chabot College & what is now, California State University, East Bay. He is the only person of his generation in his family to have attended & graduated from college. Later, he earned a M.A. at the University of Nevada, Reno.
Although he possessed no strategy for what to do with his life, he did have a desire to lead an interesting life. Now 75, he is doing lengthy interviews for a proposal for a potential documentary or movie. Although he never saw his life as particularly interesting, others did. This includes historians at the University of Nevada, Reno, & the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, who want to do oral histories with him. As added flavor, the historian at the popular Mob Museum in Las Vegas wants to do the same. This comes as a surprise to Tom. Why the curiosity from academics, documentarians, & moviemakers? Succinct answers are:
Tom worked for five years as a dealer at the Nevada Club in Reno for Lincoln Fitzgerald. “Fitz” was an expatriate from the infamous “Purple Gang” in Detroit, which was considered to be the most violent of the gangs within the world of Organized Crime. Yet, to Tom, Fitz was different from others from that world. In ways that historians are now interested in, Fitz was perhaps far more important than the famed Bugsy Seigel was in the development of the gambling industry in Nevada. While working for Fitz he heard the stories about what brought him to Nevada in 1946 & what he did to remain in the state through a deal worked out with the Governor.
Tom became the first full-time Executive Director for a political party in Nevada, which happened in 1978. In so doing, he moved from Reno to Las Vegas. His chief objective was to remove the most powerful person in Las Vegas from office – Sheriff Ralph Lamb. Through secrecy he was able to recruit the Commander of Narcotics & Vice to run for Sheriff. The biggest upset in decades was pulled off. The new Sheriff was John McCarthy, & Tom worked deeply behind the scenes with him & the FBI to launch a bold initiative to take on the Mob presence in Las Vegas. The following 4 years were tough, but a turning point was made & within 8 years the Mob was largely gone. McCarthy & Tom both left their jobs & their roles together at the same time. An intimate friendship remained between the two until McCarthy’s death 3 years ago.
In 1995 a personal & professional relationship developed between Tom & the man that the famed “Mission Impossible” movies were based upon. His name was Robert Maheu, who performed sensitive operations for both the FBI & CIA for 3 decades. He also worked for Joseph P. Kennedy & Howard Hughes. Maheu refused to do oral histories with the CIA or with any academic entity. Yet, because of the personal relationship that developed between him & Tom, he did engage in many confidential conversations with Tom about things that he was engaged throughout his life.
Before ending, Tom also served in appointed capacities under three Presidents – Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and George W. Bush. He was also appointed as a National Board Member to the Institute of Museum & Library Services by President George W. Bush, which required confirmation by the U.S. Senate. The Democratic Majority Leader in the U.S. Senate, Harry Reid (Senator Reid & Tom were long time personal friends), placed Tom’s name up for confirmation & attended his swearing in by Justice David Souter (now a former member of the Supreme Court). Tom also served as Senior Consultant to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission. He is the only person to have served in those capacities.
In 2003 Tom returned to his hometown of Castro Valley, where he now lives in retirement. In retirement he has written a monthly column for the Castro Valley Forum & served as the host of a TV show presented over a local public broadcasting station called “Interesting People.” He also served on the board of the Eden Health District & the Davis Street Community Health Center. Other service was on the Eden Hospital Foundation Board & the Education Foundation to California State University, East Bay.