Doug Lorenz
On Feb. 19, 2024, our collective hearts broke upon learning that Douglas “Doug” Lorenz (known to some as “Tommy Chacon” along with other nicknames, including Dougie Fresh, Doug Life, or his favorite- “Dad”) had passed away in Watford City, N.D. His death was unexpected and sudden, Doug’s loved ones are struggling to understand, yet finding solace in the memories shared with Doug over his 39 years.
Born on June 16, 1984 to Laura Lanyon Saylor (Chacon) in the Los Angeles area, Doug was a sweet and playful child. He loved to help others and play with his multiple siblings, cousins and friends. As a teenager, Doug lived in the Lake County area in Northern California. Doug built close friendships over a love of music and sometimes getting into mischief, and his immeasurable bonds with those siblings and friends remain today.
After graduating from high school, Doug managed two smoke shops in Santa Rosa and had a few other jobs before joining the U.S. Forest Service, where his mother also worked. Doug loved being a wildland firefighter, even joining the Elk Mountain Wildland hot shot crew in the Mendocino Forest of California.
It was in Ukiah that Doug was called up for jury duty in December 2013, and where he met the love of his life: Tara Catherine McRae. They sat on the jury next to one another and tried to avoid their mutual attraction until after the case concluded. Tara had a five-year-old son from a previous relationship, Everett “Skippy,” then Doug and Tara welcomed Ezekiel “Zeke” to the family in February 2015. On Jan. 16, 2016, at their home in Upper Lake, Calif., Doug and Tara were married, surrounded by family and friends.
Doug always enjoyed motorcycles and gained a greater appreciation for them when he visited his mother and Don in the forests of Covelo, Calif. Doug became incredibly close to Don, who he has always seen as his father, and who we’ve suspected really shares DNA with Doug by some pirate twist of fate. Doug credited Don with teaching Doug how to be a better man. In 2015, Doug joined the American Kickers Motorcycle Club in Lake County and stayed connected to the group even after he moved to North Dakota.
Moving to North Dakota in 2017 provided Doug and the family a chance to be near Laura & Don (who had themselves moved to Bismark in 2016) as well as his brother Jordan, nieces, nephews and extended family. Zeke and Skippy enjoyed making new friends, exploring new places, and spending time with their dad, whether it was ice fishing, learning to hunt, playing golf, or telling jokes after karate class. Life was, as Doug would say, “sweet.”
Doug was a devoted father to both boys, legally adopting “Skippy” in February 2023, and was the silly, strong, caring dad that both Skippy and Zeke knew and loved. Doug made sure to tell them both each day how loved they were, and they will forever hold the memory of their dad in their hearts. Our hearts grieve with these two young boys.
Grief is not a linear process, nor does each person grieve in the same way. It can be especially difficult to grieve when we cannot make sense of a person’s death. We humans tend to search for a reason behind what happens, a way to find purpose within the chaos of life. Some look to God and some look elsewhere; some are open in their grief and others remain private. The common elements, however, are sorrow for the loss of someone dear to us and concern for those left most affected by that loss. We will miss Doug deeply and we collectively pray for his two precious sons, Skippy and Zeke. Our hearts go out to Tara, his wife of eight years, partner for ten years, and mother to the boys. She grieves for her sons especially, knowing all the moments their dad will miss, hoping he will watch over the boys in some form.
The common phrasing in obituaries is to say that the decedent is “survived by” those who still live, but the phrasing does not quite capture the ways in which one must endure and work through pain in order to survive loss. Forever changed, yet living still, are Doug’s parents, Laura and Don Saylor; Charles “Charlie” Lorenz Sr.; his siblings, Teryn Lorenz (Geneo Hulsey), Jordan Saylor (April Bland), Sierra “CiCi” Lanyon (Chris Machado), Sarah Lanyon; Charles Lorenz Jr. and Sam Lanyon (Christina Marie Tymn-Lanyon); as well as his many beloved aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, and the MOST amazing and eclectic group of friends. Of Doug’s large group of friends, there are three from his young adult days that stand out in particular, Molly Pead, John Geck and Adam Lesh. Anyone who spent time with Doug would surely have also heard him speak about his beloved dog Cody, who preceded him in death but lived on in spirit. Others who passed before Doug were his special grandparents, Concepcion “Connie” and Jesus Chacon; as well as Margarita Chacon Miller and Ezekiel Chacon.
Douglas’s Funeral Service will be held at 1 p.m. on Friday, March 8, 2024, at the Rough Rider Center in Watford City, N.D. Mark Honstein will officiate. Douglas will be laid to rest in Schafer Cemetery in Watford City, N.D.
A visitation for Doug will be held on Thursday, March 7, 2024, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Fulkerson Stevenson Memorial Chapel in Watford City, N.D.
The funeral service will be livestreamed, you can view Douglas’s service directly on his obituary page on our website www.fulkersons.com.
In lieu of flowers, please send birthday and/or seasonal cards to Doug’s children at 421 N. Main Street, B651, Watford City, North Dakota 58854; Everett “Skippy” McRae-Lorenz will turn 16 on March 27, 2024, and Ezekiel “Zeke” Lorenz turned nine on Feb. 24, 2024. Those who wish to donate financially may contribute to the GoFundMe account in Doug’s memory, which will be deposited into the kids’ savings accounts, at https://gofund.me/6dc150b9.