Leon Hartley Sorensen

Leon H. Sorensen age 90 of Fulda, MN, formerly of Storden, MN, died Monday, September 30, 2013 at the Maple Lawn Nursing Home in Fulda. Services will be 10:30 AM Monday, October 7, 2013 at the Storden Baptist Church in Storden, MN. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church on Monday. A luncheon will be served immediately following the service in the church social hall, with the interment taking placed after the luncheon in the Storden Baptist Cemetery. The Almlie Funeral Home of Westbrook is handling the arrangements. Leon Hartley Sorensen was born April 5, 1923 to Jim and Mabel (Nelson) Sorensen on the family farm north of Storden, MN, in Storden Township, Cottonwood County. He attended Storden Public Schools, graduating from Storden High School. He then attended the University of Tennessee for one semester, before returning to Storden, and married his high school sweetheart, Carol Hofstad. He then enlisted in the U.S. Navy where he distinguished himself as a hospital Corpsman, graduating at the top of his training class, such that he was given a choice of duty stations anywhere in the United States. He chose to go to Farragut, ID Naval Training Station, where he worked with the decommissioning of that Naval Station. He was then stationed on the island of Guam, before serving out his enlistment at the Norfolk Naval Hospital and was honorably discharged in 1950, after serving for six years. Leon returned to the family farm to assist his father until 1960, when he moved his family to San Diego, CA. He obtained a real estate license and sold real estate until the economy changed and he moved his family back to Minnesota, where he farmed south of Storden. Leon then purchased his families farm north of Storden and farmed there, eventually building a home on a farm place on the edge of Storden. In 1972 his son, Jim began farming with him. Leon and his wife then moved to Alamosa, CO for several years until his wife’s failing health prompted them to return to Storden. After her death Leon lived in Storden. In 1995, Leon married Ruth Meyer, and they made their home in Slayton and Westbrook, MN. In 2006 Leon suffered a stroke and they moved into a retirement apartment in Westbrook. In October of 2011 Leon became a resident of the Maple Lawn Nursing Home in Fulda, MN, where he died, surrounded by his loving family, on Monday, September 30, 2013 at the age of 90. Leon is survived by his wife, Ruth Sorensen of Fulda, MN; one son, Jim (Wilma) Sorensen of Redmond, OR; one daughter, Kathy (Bruce) Prins of Alamosa, CO; five grandchildren; five great grandchildren; one sister, Gene Wilson of Covina, CA; nieces, nephews and friends. His first wife, Carol, his parents, Jim and Mabel Sorensen, one brother, Howard (Claire) Sorensen and two sisters, Gladys (Bob) Bear and Helen (John) Boyd, and one brother-in-law, Ralph Wilson, preceded him in death.