Ernest "Ernie" Andrew Sorensen

Ernest “Ernie” Sorensen passed away on November 29,2014, at the age of 94 in Fort Collins, CO. He was born January 3, 1920, in Englewood, Co. to Danish immigrants, Christopher and Minnie (Mortensen) Sorensen. During the Great Depression, his father Chris, passed away. At the age of 15, Ernie decided he would like to be a Lutheran minister. He spent a year at the age of 16, at the Lutheran seminary in Mo. He returned to Englewood to take a job to help support his mother and younger brother. His first job took him to the Horsetrack Ranch in Red Desert, Wyo. managing cattle and rounding up wild Mustang horses (black and bays only) to be sold to the U.S.Army, Calvary division. Returning to Denver, he received his pipefitter apprenticeship through local union 208.

Married Elvira (Vera) Heimsoth in 1940, in Littleton, CO. He joined the U.S.Navy in 1943, and served in WWII on the USS Lawrence as a ship fitter welder. In l946, he bought a farm west of Arvada, Co. and went into a partnership to start Superior Heating Co. In 1949, he went into business for himself and formed Sorensen Heating Co. and operated it until he retired in 1980. In 1984, not ready for retirement, he and Vera moved to Fort Collins, where he worked full time for Grants Organic Farm as a mechanic, keeping everything working from irrigation pivots, truck motors and installing a vegetable washing conveyor-belt system for them.

Ernie was very involved in the Boy Scouts of America,with his son, Dick, for many years in Wheatridge, Co. where the family lived for 40 years. Ernie and Vera were long time members of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Lakewood, Co., and St Johns Lutheran Church in Fort Collins. They moved into an assisted living home in 2006, where Ernie extended his artistic talent with drawings of all types of birds and finishing them in watercolor. He was honored with a “Memory in the Making” award in 2013. Ernie loved fixing and building things, and was extremely good at it. If parts were needed and not found or available, he would make them. He loved fishing in Glendo and hunting elk and deer with his son and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Daniel and his beloved wife, Vera of 67 years.

He is survived by his son, Richard(Leslie) Sorensen of Waverly, Co., daughter Shirley(Dale) Hinz of Ault, Co. and daughter Martha(Rolf) Kleeberg of Fort Collins, Co., five grandchildren; Andrew (Theresa) Hinz, Kari (Jason) Holden, Rebecca (Marty Vigil) Sorensen, Erik (Katie Morris) Kleeberg, and step-granddaughter, Leigh (Kieran) Rhysling, and seven great grandchildren, Kiley, Bubba, Katie, Bailey, Sydney, Tyler, Aidan, and Liam, and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife, Elvira "Vira" Sorensen, his parents, and a brother Daniel Sorensen.

Visitation one hour prior to the service. Services Thursday, December 4, 2014, 1pm, at Olinger Highland Chapel, 10201 Grant Street, Thornton, Colorado, 80229. Interment to follow at Olinger Highland Cemetery.