Edwin Ralph Sorensen

Edwin Ralph Sorensen, age 93, passed away January 15, 2025 in Orem, Utah. He was born to Emanuel and Virginia Sorensen in Lovell, Wyoming on January 13, 1932, the fifth and youngest child. He married Ella Mae Lamb of Mesa, Arizona in Ipswich England in 1952 and they were later sealed in the Idaho Falls Temple. Edwin and Ella were married for 72 years and raised a family of five children.

Upon graduating from Lovell High School, Ed enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and was stationed on Bentwaters Air Base near Ipswich, England. After he was discharged he graduated with a Bachelor's and Master’s degree from Utah State University, followed by a Doctorate degree from Arizona State University.

Ed loved God, his family and teaching. He taught at The Church College of Hawaii (now BYU-Hawaii) where he helped build the Polynesian Cultural Center. He also taught at Eastern Arizona College and wrote grants that established the nursing program there. Edwin became the founding president of Northland Pioneer College which was innovative in bringing higher education to rural areas of Arizona. After teaching at BYU-Provo for several years, Ed finished his professional career at Western Illinois University, retiring in 1992. Upon retirement, Ed and his wife Ella Mae served two missions for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The first as Family History missionaries in the Phoenix Arizona Mission, photographing historical records, and the second in Tokyo, Japan with the Church Education System’s Institute program. 

Ed is survived by his wife Ella Mae, four of his five children Sherri Lyn Sorensen Cluff of Springville, UT; Wendy Jo Sorensen Rogers (Steve) of Springville, UT; Virginia Ann Sorensen Mitchell (Martin) of Salt Lake City, UT; Kevin Emanuel Sorensen (Cheryl) of Meridian, ID, daughter-in-law Lisa Kingery Sorensen of Orem, UT and 24 grandchildren and 58 great-grandchildren. 

Ed is preceded in death by his parents and four older siblings and their spouses: Harold (Alice), Norman (Lucinda), Melwin (Eileen) and Virginia (Harold) and son Ian Ralph Sorensen who passed away in 2015.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, January 25, 2025 at 11:00 am in the chapel at 55 N Main Street, Springville, UT with a viewing that morning from 9:30-10:30 am. The burial will be at Utah Veterans Cemetery and Memorial Park the following Monday, January 27th, at 10:00 am.

Condolences may be expressed to the family on this page.