Albert “Abe” William Sorensen, 97, a resident of Fergus Falls, died Wednesday, May 17, 2017 at the Minnesota Veteran’s Home in Fergus Falls.
He was born February 6, 1920, to Martin and Marie (Poulson) Sorensen on the family farm in Oriska, ND. The family moved to Valley City, ND where he was baptized and in 1924 they moved to Fergus Falls. Abe attended Lincoln and Madison Elementary schools and graduated from Fergus Falls High School in 1938. He worked for a time at the Fergus Brewery and in 1937 he began working for Victor Lundeens.
Abe served in the United States Navy from 1942 to 1945. He completed basic training and Gyro Compass school in San Diego as well as electrician school in Ames, IA and in San Diego. He served aboard the “USS Stack” DD-406 in the Pacific Theater as an electrician. During his time in the Navy he was involved in 11 major battles. Upon his honorable discharge from the Navy, he returned to Fergus Falls and to his job as a typesetter at Victor Lundeens.
On July 21, 1949, he married Dorothy Anderson in Cicero, Illinois. After their marriage, the couple made their home in Fergus Falls and Abe continued his career at Victor Lundeens until his retirement in 1990.
Abe was a member of Augustana Lutheran Church, a life member of the Fergus Falls VFW, and also served as a leader for over 20 years with the Boy Scouts for Bethlehem and Augustana.
He enjoyed volunteering at Pioneer Care and the Fergus Falls Community Food Shelf, starting there in 1988. Abe took pleasure in woodworking, ice fishing (dark house), repairing presses, cars, electrical work, and spending summers at the cabin that he and Dorothy built on Long Lake.
Preceding him in death were his wife, Dorothy in 2008, three sisters, Christine (Joe) Somers, Mabel (Walter) Schempp, and Agnes (Lloyd) Lydeen, and one brother, Marinus “Mike” (Tillie) Sorensen.
Survivors include his nieces and nephews, Beverly Evavold of Fergus Falls, Sharon (Gene) Miller of Donnelly, Jerald Lydeen of Fond Du Lac, WI, David (Bev) Lydeen of Warren, Marian (Jack) O’Donnell of Fargo, Florence Soldahl of California, Jack (Gerry) Somers of British Columbia and extended family and friends.