Harry Rikard Johan Sorensen
SORENSEN WINSTON-SALEM Harry
Rikard Johan Sorensen Feb. 27, 1923 -May 5, 2013 Harry Rikard Johan
Sorensen entered peacefully into heaven on May 5, 2013. He was born
February 27, 1923 in Rjukan, Norway. Harry is preceded in death by his
parents, Henry and Hjordis Sorensen; his wife of 35 years and mother of
his three children, Lois Clowney Sorensen; second wife, Dorothy
Smitherman Sorensen; third wife, Verna Lentz Sorensen; and his
brothers, Earl Stanley Sorensen and Raymond Sorensen. Harry immigrated
to the United States with his parents in June of 1923 and returned to
Norway with his mother and siblings for three years in 1932. During
this time he attended school and became fluent in Norwegian. He
graduated from Clifton (NJ) High School in 1941 where he was in the
choral group, played soccer and won awards for speed ice skating/barrel
jumping. In 1942, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps. He was
commissioned at Blytheville, AK, in January 1943, and received his
combat training in Columbia, SC, where he met Lois. He was a B-25 pilot
in the Twelfth Air Force, 310th Bombardment Group where he flew 47
combat missions, participating in bombing missions over Brenner Pass,
Rovereto, San Ambrogia, Bologna and Ora. He attained the rank of Second
Lieutenant and was awarded an Air Medal with 5 oak clusters and a
European Theatre Ribbon with 2 battle stars for meritorious
achievement. Upon completion of his service in 1945, he and Lois were
married and he enrolled in college at the University of SC at Columbia.
He graduated in 1950 with a BS in Electrical Engineering and was a
member of the American Institute of Electrical Engineering. Upon
graduation from college, he began a long career, primarily as a Quality
Assurance Engineer with Western Electric, that took him and his family
to many locations: Cape Canaveral, FL; Vandenberg, AFB, CA; Denver, CO;
Beale AFB, California; Mountain Home AFB, Idaho; White Sands Missile
Range, NM; Whippany, NJ; Kwajalein, Marshall Islands; Winston-Salem,
NC; St Louis, MO. After Lois passed away in 1980, he retired and
relocated to Winston-Salem. Everywhere that he lived, his lifelong love
of church and music was apparent. With each move, his first step was to
find a church home and join the choir and often times teach Sunday
school. He played the violin and sang with the Spebs barbershop group
and the Sharps & Flats at Arbor Acres. He loved to read and study
scripture. In his retirement years, he discovered a talent for
painting. In his younger years, he was an avid photographer and
chronicled many family trips and memories with slides and film that his
children cherish. His sense of humor is legendary and he has kept us on
our toes throughout the years with his puns and word associations.
Harry is survived by his loving family; daughter, Julia Porter and
husband, James of Kingwood, TX; daughter, Jane McCants and husband,
Bud, of Winston-Salem, NC; son, John Sorensen and wife, Lisa, of Delco,
NC; his grandchildren, Elijah John Sorensen, Leif Rikard Johan and
Courtney Sorensen; Matthew Porter, Zachary McCants, Robby McCants,
Tonya McCants Hunter, and Hiram Brandon McCants; grandchildren, John
Russell Sorensen, Carmen Sorensen; sisters, Evelyn Justesen of
Pequannock, NJ, Coral Sorensen Barsanti of Greencastle, PA, and Fern
Sorensen of FL; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. A
funeral service will be held on Wednesday, May 8, 2013, 11:00 a.m., at
College Park Baptist Church in Winston-Salem, NC. The family will
receive friends one hour prior to the funeral service. Interment will
be Thursday, May 9, 2013, 11:00 a.m., at Salem Presbyterian Church
Cemetery in Blair, SC. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to:
Arbor Acres Assistance Endowment Fund, 1240 Arbor Road, Winston-Salem,
NC 27104 or College Park Baptist Church, 1701 Polo Road, Winston-Salem,
NC 27106. A special thanks to all the staff at Arbor Acres for all your
caring and loving support. Online condolences to
www.frankvoglerandsons.com