Dolores Lucille Sorensen, the daughter of Lester and Bessie (Muck) Mercer, was born April 16, 1935, at her parents’ home near Red Oak, Iowa and died March 24, 2023, at the Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic, Iowa at the age of 87 years, 11 months, and 8 days.
Dolores was raised in and around Red Oak, Iowa. She attended rural schools and the Red Oak High School.
On September 20, 1952, she was united in marriage to Marion Lee Sorensen at the Anita Baptist Church in Anita, Iowa. They were blessed with three children Karen, Kevin and Kathy. Dolores helped Marion operate their farm where they grew row crops and raised and trucked livestock for many years. In 1974 they started and developed a grain elevator where Dolores helped in the office for a number of years until they retired and sold the elevator in 2006. Dolores and Marion loved to travel especially to Memphis, Tennessee and Branson, Missouri to listen to the music. They lived on the farm until they moved to the Exira Care Center in August of 2016. Marion died on November 5, 2020.
Dolores was a member of the First Baptist Church in Cumberland, Iowa. Dolores enjoyed listening to music, and doing various crafts, but above all loved spending time with her family especially her grandchildren.
Preceding her in death was her husband, Marion Lee Sorensen; her infant grandson Jonathon David Sheldahl and her grand-daughter Cassie Hays; her son-in-law Michael Hays; her parents; her sisters Mary Barton and Jean Irwin; her brother-in-law Gerald Waltz; her niece Jill Reichenauer and nephew Todd Brower; her grand son-in-law Stephen Perry.
Survivors include her children Karen Hays of Tempe, Arizona; Kevin and wife Karla Sorensen of Corning, Iowa and Kathy and husband David Sheldahl of Arlington, Nebraska; her grandchildren Christina Perry of Phoenix, Arizona; Trent and wife Ashlee Sorensen of Waukee, Iowa; Tori Sorensen of Kansas City, Missouri; Trevor and wife Hattie Sorensen of Adel, Iowa; Laura and husband Josh Gloeb of Kennard, Nebraska; Katie and husband Drew Stanley of Everly, Iowa; 14 great grandchildren; her sister Jane Waltz of Kansas City, Missouri; sisters-in-law and brother-in-law Ruth and husband Alan Stevens of Oakland, Iowa; Janet and husband David Brower of Omaha, Nebraska; Roger and wife Sharon Sorensen of Corning, Iowa; and Bob Irwin of Omaha, Nebraska; nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.
Funeral Services will be Wednesday, March 29th at 11AM at the Kessler Funeral Home in Exira. Family will meet with friends one hour prior to the service. Burial will be at the Newlons Grove Cemetery southwest of Cumberland. The Kessler Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
