Mary Louise Sorensen, 83, of Seattle, Washington, died peacefully on June 7, 2011.  Memorial services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, August 16, 2011 at the Trinity United Methodist Church in Kimball with Pastor Lynda Parson officiating.  A family inurnment service will precede the memorial service.  Memorials may be given to Trinity United Methodist Church.  The local arrangements have been entrusted to the Cantrell Funeral Home.

Mary Louise Maxted was born to Cyril Clark and Bessie Emoline Maxted on December 20, 1927 in Peru, Nebraska.  She joined three older siblings, Thomas, Josephine and Merle and enjoyed being the youngest child until Donald was born.  The family moved from Iowa to Huntley, Wyoming to farm, where Mary began her schooling.  While living in Huntley, Mary and a friend were selected to present a 4H demonstration in Chicago.  In 1944, the family moved to Kimball, Nebraska to farm where Mary graduated from high school in 1946.

 

Following graduation, Mary went to cosmetology school in Omaha, Nebraska where she received her beautician’s license.  She worked as a beautician in Kimball until she and Soren Sorensen were married at Trinity Methodist Church on February 27, 1949.  At that time, Soren was working at the Kimball Creamery for his brother Carl.  After their marriage, Soren and Mary purchased the creamery in Imperial, Nebraska and moved there to run it.  Their son, Gregory Kent, was born in Imperial on March 7, 1950 after which the family returned to Kimball.  Mary was the secretary at Kimball Jr. High School for several years and then worked at Dr. A. H. Shamberg’s office as a receptionist.

 

Mary and Soren moved to Rifle, Colorado where they owned and operated a milk distributorship until Soren was forced to retire due to ill health.  They also owned the Daylight Donut Café in Rifle, which Mary continued to run after Soren’s death in 1992 at age 65.  In 1995, Mary retired and moved back to Kimball to be near her family and friends.  Mary was a member of the Kimball Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors, Trinity United Methodist Church, Wesleyan Circle, and volunteered at the Kimball Manor.

 

Mary remained close to her brother Don, his wife Joyce, their daughter Sue, and many relatives and friends in the area.  She would spend a month in Seattle each summer with Greg and then return to Kimball.  When it became apparent that Mary was no longer able to live alone with the onset of Parkinson’s, she moved to Seattle to live with Greg and Carole to take advantage of the medical specialists she required.  Finally Mary moved to The Norse Home where she met many new friends and enjoyed the last few years of her life.  Mary was always appreciative of the help she received as she gracefully accepted her disease these last months and died peacefully on June 7, 2011.

 

Mary is survived by her son Greg, one brother Donald (Joyce) of Kimball, NE, one sister-in law Alta Maxted of Sigourney, IA, four nephews and two nieces.  She was preceded in death by her husband Soren, her parents, two brothers and one sister.