Charles Leroy Sornson, the son of Raymond and Mae (Petersen) Sornson, was born March 7, 1932, at his parents’ home in Audubon County west of Exira, Iowa, and died December 18, 2023, surrounded by his family at his home in Audubon, Iowa at the age of 91 years, 9 months, and 11 days.
Funeral Services for 91-year-old Charles Leroy Sornson will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, January 5, at the First Presbyterian Church in Audubon. The family will greet friends on Friday morning from 9:30 a.m. until the time of the service with lunch to follow at St. Patrick’s Parish Center. Inurnment will be in the Exira Cemetery in Exira, Iowa at a later time.
Chuck started his education west of Exira in a one-room school in Oakfield Township in the fall of 1936. Chuck’s father died in January of 1937. Later in 1937, his mother remarried and they moved to Viola Township where Chuck continued his schooling. He graduated from the Viola Consolidated Schools in 1950 and was the last survivor of his class. Chuck worked on the farm until 1951when he was employed by Audubon County operating a motor grader when he was 19 years old. All the roads were dirt at that time and he dragged roads, graded roads, and plowed snow during the winter months.
On November 22, 1953, he was united in marriage to Rilla Jayne at the Christian Church in Exira, Iowa. They were blessed with three children Michael, Mark, and Chelle. Chuck worked for the County until 1959 then managed the VFW Club in Audubon. In 1962 Chuck and Rilla purchased Johnny’s Club north of Audubon renaming it the T-Bone Club to honor the beef industry in Audubon. At that time, you could not purchase liquor by the drink in Iowa. The law changed in 1963 and Chuck went to Des Moines, Iowa, and was issued the number 15th Liquor License in the State of Iowa and was able to start selling liquor by the drink at the T-Bone Club. In 1971, they purchased land in Audubon and Chuck purchased a Caterpillar, scraper, and a motor grader and developed building lots. Chuck operated the equipment during the day and ran the T-Bone Club in the evenings. In 1972, he built and operated the John Deere dealership in Audubon and Rilla was his secretary. Later they sold the dealership in 1985. Chuck and Rilla had purchased and remodeled a cottage in 1965 on Black Hawk Lake at Lake View, Iowa. They spent many family weekends boating and teaching their children and many friends how to water ski. They sold the cottage and purchased a larger home in Lake View where Chuck did carpentry work. In 1988 Chuck and Rilla bought a motor home and did some traveling. Chuck would go to northern Canada with several friends to fish and during the winter months, they would go to southern Texas to Weslaco. In 1990 they sold the motor home and purchased a mobile home in Country Sunshine Park. In 1997 they sold their home in Lake View and moved to Exira to be closer to Rilla’s mother and brother who had cancer. After their passing, they purchased a home in Alamo Country Club in Alamo, Texas. Chuck became the “window man” and installed numerous windows in many homes in Alamo until he retired in 2016. Rilla died March 15, 2003, in Texas from complications from diabetes.
On March 6, 2004, he married Kathy Sevy and they made their home in the Alamo Country Club. When Chuck developed pulmonary hypertension, they sold their home in Texas and moved to Audubon in December of 2018 to be closer to family. They spent 20 years together and made many happy memories. Chuck was preceded in death by his wife, Rilla; his parents; his sister Louise Chehak; and his brother John Sornson.
Survivors include his wife Kathy Sornson of Audubon, Iowa; his children Michael and wife Deb Sornson of Mystic, Iowa, Mark and wife Pegs Sornson of Council Bluffs, Iowa and Chelle and husband Jeff Madsen of Audubon, Iowa; his brother Robert Sornson of Audubon, Iowa; numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
The family would like to thank the staff of Hospice of the Midwest for their wonderful care of Chuck. He loved his hospice girls. The family prefers memorial be made to Hospice of the Midwest or the Audubon County Hospital Foundation. The Kessler Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
