By Joan Harvey, The Oregonian
December 16, 2009, 10:16PM
Joe Loprinzi, a Portland fitness pioneer, died Wednesday, Dec. 16, at age 95.
Loprinzi and his brother, Sam, opened Loprinzi's Gym in Southeast Portland in 1948, long before the current fitness trend and before the city was dotted with national chain gyms. The gym remains an old-fashioned, funky institution, though under a different owner.
Joe Loprinzi was a trainer at the Multnomah Athletic Club for 60 years and had a wing of the club dedicated to him when he retired. He was still teaching two exercise classes as late as 1994. He led a morning exercise show on KGW-TV from 1960 to 1978.
Loprinzi was born Oct. 31,1914, in Portland. He was an athlete at Commerce High School and competed as a weightlifter for MAC. He was Oregon state champion in 1936.
During World War II, he served in the Navy on an ammunition ship with his brother. They were later exercise instructors on Treasure Island in San Francisco with lifelong friend Jack Lalanne. Sam Loprinzi died in 1996.
Joe Loprinzi was an early jogging enthusiast and advocate. By 1960, he was leading joggers on almost daily 6- to 10-mile runs through Washington Park. He was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 1991.
Survivors include his wife, Darleen; daughters, Pamela Doreschel and Janet L. Street; one grandchild; and two great-grandchildren.
--Joan Harvey
