Matthew James Sorensen

Cherished husband and beloved son, brother, uncle, and friend, Matthew James Sorensen, age 28, passed away unexpectedly on June 27, 2019 in Springville, Utah, from a pulmonary embolism.

Matt was born January 23, 1991 in Orem, Utah to Jared and Jeannie Sorensen, the fifth of nine children.

Matt had a big heart and a grateful spirit. He was often described as someone who was kind, humbly- diligent, and always willing to serve others. He was confident in his abilities and never compared himself to those around him.

As a child, Matt was referred to as a “Man with a Mission” because of his strong determination to find a way to accomplish his desires. He learned how to work hard, study diligently and earn his own money. He enrolled himself in Karate, paid for his own lessons and earned his black belt.  Matt attended Mountain View High School in Orem for two years and graduated from Emmett High School with high honors.  While there he trained to be an Emergency Medical Technician.

Matt received his Duty to God award and earned his Eagle Scout Award (2009). He served a two-year Spanish-speaking mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the California Ventura Mission. It was during his mission that he became fluent in the Spanish language and gained a great love for the Hispanic people. He was able to use his EMT skills to save the life of a fellow missionary who accidentally fell off a cliff while on a zone activity.

Matt attended Utah Valley University and graduated with a degree in Criminal Justice. While there, he met the love of his life, Gabriela Flores Castillo, and married her on September 13, 2014 in the Salt Lake Temple. Matthew always had a special love and sense of compassion for his wife and sisters.

Matt went on to attend law school at Brigham Young University. He graduated in April 2019 with his juris doctorate. At the time of his passing he was preparing for the bar exam and was planning a career as a medical malpractice attorney.

Matt was preceded in death by his two grandfathers, W. Kenneth Sorensen and Leo L. Vance. He is survived by his wife Gabriela, parents, and eight siblings: Michael (Bonnie) Sorensen, Daniel (Katie) Sorensen, Jaime (Michael) Hansen, Michelle (James) Moody, Jeniece (Jonathan) Bennett, Emily Sorensen, Rachel (Connor) Bilson, and Josiah Sorensen. He is also survived by 27 nieces and nephews and two grandmothers, Julia Sorensen and Olive Vance.

Funeral services will be held Wednesday, July 3 at 11:00 a.m. in the chapel of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, located at 678 South 950 West in Springville, Utah. Viewings will be held Tuesday evening from 6 to 8 p.m. at Wheeler Mortuary, 211 East 200 South in Springville, as well as Wednesday at the church from 9:45 to 10:45 am.

A GoFundMe account for those who wish to help with funeral expenses has been set up at https://bit.ly/2xm8Qzo .