Lester E. Sorenson

Lester Edward Sorenson passed away peacefully at his home on August 2, 2016. Lester was born September 17, 1925, the youngest of 10 children, to Nils and Ingeborg Sorenson. He was born at the rural farm in west Mary Township where they lived and attended the rural country school, ISD #33, through the 8th grade. He then worked full time on the family farm until his father passed away in 1944. Then he was called into service with the US Army and he trained at Fort Snelling. He was a radio operator in the Philippines before heading for Japan, expecting to invade the mainland. Instead, the US dropped 2 atomic bombs and the war abruptly ended. His mission then was one of supervising the rounding up and destruction of Japanese weapons. He was proud of his duty time and the fact he never had to fire a shot. After the war, he returned to Perley and farmed the family farm. October 1948, he married Roslyn B. Lee. Together they raised 3 children, Nancy Lane, Kerry Lee and Kenton Murray. Lester was a master of many trades and turned his hand to a number of occupations. This included his own heating and A/C company, electrical, plumbing, carpentry and mechanics. His handiwork can be found in several Perley and Ada area homes. He owned and operated his own gravel truck and over-the-road semi-truck. On May 6, 1978, he married Joan Rae Culp Briggs in Moorhead. He turned his career to operating gravel crushing machinery for Oye Construction of Moorhead, then Ulven Gravel of Hawley, trucking over-the-road for Shiprite, Inc. and finally road maintenance for Casselton Township.

Lester is survived by his wife of 38 years Joan, daughter Nancy Simmons, son Kenton and his wife, Marlene, five grand-children Melissa Latterner, Jeremy Simmons, Ryan Snyder, Christopher Sorenson and Erika Sorenson and 3 great-grandchildren Lane Latterner, Dalton Latterner and Savannah Sorenson. Also surviving is sister Hannah Werpy and sister-in-law Ilene Sorenson and an army of nieces, nephews, great nieces and great-nephews.

Lester was preceded in death by his parents, daughter Kerry, son-in-law Steven Simmons, sisters, Anna, Ida, Myrtle and Nora, brothers Hans, Clarence, Oscar and Neil and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Visitation will be Friday, August 5, from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m., with prayer service at 7 p.m., in Wright Funeral Home, Hawley, MN.

Memorial service will be Saturday, August 6, at 2:00 p.m., in Lake Park Lutheran Church, Lake Park, MN.