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