Obituary

Elda “Lee” Marie Sorenson (née Lee), 80, of Nopal Avenue in Sunland Village East, passed away peacefully and comfortably with family at her side on Saturday, January 6, 2024, at 4:50 pm, at Brookdale Baywood Senior Living facility in Mesa, AZ.

Elda was born on March 1, 1943, to Oliver and Francis Lee. She was raised on her parents’ farms in Carpio, ND, and Kenmare, ND. She was an avid reader and took piano and organ lessons for several years and occasionally played at her family’s Lutheran church. After graduating from Kenmare High School, Elda attended secretarial/business school in Fargo, ND, then moved to Minneapolis, MN, and worked in data entry. Elda’s friends and roommates gave her the nickname of “Lee” during these early years in MN.

Lee met Gary K. Sorenson, of Sisseton, SD, in Minneapolis and they married on November 13, 1965. They raised their two children in St. Louis Park, MN, and Plymouth, MN, where they were members of St. Phillip the Deacon Lutheran Church. Gary and Lee travelled extensively, with and without their children, to Norway, France, and multiple sites domestically. Lee was a homemaker when her children were young then returned to work when she and Gary purchased a catalog company, Deva Lifewear, in 1993. Over the next few years, Lee and Gary split their time among Plymouth, MN, Westhope, ND, and Mesa, AZ, where they had begun to spend winters with both their parents. They finally settled in Mesa fulltime in 2000 and sold the company soon thereafter.

In their retirement years, Lee continued to play the piano and organ for pleasure at home, was a member of the Red Hat Ladies Society, participated in Sunland Village East decorating committee projects, played in weekly pinochle and Mah Jong groups, regularly played cards with Gary and friends, and enjoyed many happy days shopping and having coffee with friends. Gary and Lee attended Spring of Life/Christ’s Church of the Valley, in Mesa, AZ.

Family was very important to Lee. She visited with and cared for her parents, both in AZ and ND. She regularly talked with and visited her siblings in ND and KS and dozens of extended family members across the country, with whom she created treasured memories. She also enjoyed attending her mother’s family’s (Askvig) reunions over the years.

Elda “Lee” Sorenson was preceded in death by her parents, Oliver and Francis Lee, father-in-law, Gustav Sorenson, mother-in-law, Marion Sorenson, son, Chris Sorenson, brother-in-law, Bradley Robertson, and many aunts, uncles, and extended family members. She is survived by husband, Gary Sorenson, daughter, Tracy Mathis (Nick Mathis), brothers, Darwin Lee (Sharon Lee) and Dale Lee (Connie Nelson), sister, Marcia Robertson, step-granddaughter, Samantha Mathis (Jason Tunks), step-grandson, Micah Mathis, step-great-grandchildren, Serenity Kinley and Hayden Tunks, and numerous beloved aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Elda’s/Lee’s kindness, generosity, lively sense of humor, love, affection, and hugs will be greatly missed. Her cremated remains will be buried next to Chris at Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis, MN. Memorial services to be announced.