SORENSEN, LARRY LEE - Minnehaha County, South Dakota | LARRY LEE SORENSEN - South Dakota Gravestone Photos

Larry Lee SORENSEN

Hills of Rest Memorial Park - Sioux Falls Cemetery
Minnehaha County,
South Dakota

Larry Lee Sorensen was born March 31, 1941 to Fred and Frances (George) Sorensen and was baptized as a young child.

Larry attended country grade school in North Superior, Iowa and graduated from Milford High school in 1958. He was salutatorian and president of his class.

He attended Morningside College in Sioux City, IA where he was an active TKE fraternity brother. He graduated in 1962 and began an 18-year career teaching high school math. He taught at Forest City, IA and Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines before making his way to Storm Lake, IA where he met the love of his life, Arlene Beitelspacher. They were united in marriage on July 25, 1981 at Christ Lutheran Church in rural Le Mars, IA. They were blessed with one daughter, Lori. After ending his career in teaching, he worked for the US Postal Service until his retirement in 2006.

Following nearly 40 years in Storm Lake, Larry and Arlene moved to Sioux Falls in 2010 to be near their daughter and grandchildren.

Larry had a servant’s heart and was an active member of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church during his time in Storm Lake and was a current member of Peace Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls where he was active in a variety of volunteer positions, men’s Bible study group, and a St. Dysmas prison ministry board member.

Larry was always there. He never missed one of Lori’s games, concerts or performances while she was growing up. On any given Friday or Saturday, you could find him in the stands at local high school ball games. He loved to cheer on his Tornadoes, Mustangs, and Hawkeyes. He watched many nieces and nephews play ball, and you could always count on him on the sidelines cheering his grandchildren on in anything they were doing. Larry’s grandchildren were the apple of his eye, and his proudest title was “Pop”.

He enjoyed coffee with family and friends, church activities, community events, family and class reunions, and was always ready for a game of cards. He and Arlene loved to travel, whether it was with their beloved “Labor Day Group”, an Alaskan Cruise or the back highways visiting all 66 South Dakota county seats - he lived life to the fullest and made so many memories along the way.

Survivors include his wife, Arlene; one daughter, Lori and her husband Ryan; grandchildren, Erika, Landon and Micah, all of Sioux Falls; sister, Carole Rasmussen and husband Dick of Omaha, NE; in-laws: Laura Mae (Gerald) Nathlich, of Woodward, IA, Delores Buryanek, of Westfield, IA, Joan Renken of Burnsville, IA, Janice (Larry) Pritchett, of Westfield, IA, Ed (Doris) Beitelspacher, of Le Mars, IA, Wayne (Julie) Beitelspacher, of Le Mars, IA; numerous nieces and nephews; and special “son” Paul Donahue.

Larry was preceded in death by his parents; sisters: Betty (Tommy) Thompson, Avis (Virgil) Hoffman, and Rhonda Sorensen; brothers: Donald Sorensen, George (Pat) Sorensen and Verland (Marilyn) Sorensen, 3 brothers-in-law Don (Betty) Beitelspacher, Jim Buryanek and Erwin Renken, and his parents-in-law, Henry and Louise Beitelspacher.

Contributed on 7/17/24 by 9katz
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Record #: 276033

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Submitted: 7/17/24 • Approved: 7/31/24 • Last Updated: 8/3/24 • R276033-G276033-S3

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