Memorial services for Herbert L. Sorenson will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Ascension Lutheran Church in Albert Lea with the Revs. Mark Boorsma and Todd Buegler officiating. Visitation will take place one hour prior to the service. Interment will be in Lakewood Cemetery. Bonnerup Funeral Service is assisting the family.

Herbert passed away Monday, Feb. 24, 2020, at Owatonna Hospital. He was 91 years old.

Herbert LeRoy Sorenson was born Nov. 10, 1928, in Albert Lea to parents Carl and Mabel (Frandle) Sorenson. He grew up in Albert Lea and graduated from Albert Lea High School. Herb joined the National Guard, and later went on active duty as a staff sergeant stationed stateside during the Korean War.

Herb was united in marriage to Jacqueline Recknor, and the couple had one son, Mark. The couple would later divorce.

Herb would later marry Caroline Boettcher, and would add to his family — thinking of both of Caroline’s two children, Cindy and Gary, as his own.

Herb worked as an optician in Albert Lea. Much of his career was spent working at Benson Optical until it closed, where he then worked for Mayo Clinic for several years. In total, Herb worked over 50 years as an optician!

He was a member of Ascension Lutheran Church in Albert Lea, and later Trinity Lutheran Church in Owatonna. The Eagles Club and the American Legion were organizations that Herb was a part of, also. Playing pool was a favorite pastime for Herb, and he was very good at it! Herb also enjoyed traveling with his wife, Caroline. The couple had been to every state in the Union, even Alaska, and they spent many winters in Texas and Arizona. Herb was a quiet, smart and gentle man who was blessed to have 91 years of life on this earth.

Herb is preceded in death by both parents; son, Gary Boettcher; daughter in-law, Patricia Sorenson; great-grandson at birth, Wyatt Williams; siblings Roger Sorenson, Lemoyne Sorenson and Dawn Runden; and brothers-in-law Duane Vinge, Ed Gaul and Gerald Newgard.

He is survived by his loving wife, Caroline Sorenson, of Owatonna; children Mark Sorenson of Casper, Wyoming, and Cindy Oleson of Owatonna; grandchildren Jon Oleson, Stephanie (Carlos) Flores, Bryan Sorenson and Heather (Dustin) Williams; great-grandchildren Christian, Olivia, Lilly, Shay, Khloe, Colter, Patrick and Elizabeth; sister, Charlotte Vinge; brothers and sister-in-law Donna Gaul, David (Bev) Newgard, Chuck (Nancy) Newgard, Phyllis Sorenson and Harold Runden; as well as many nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Ascension Lutheran Church, 1101 U.S. Highway 69, Albert Lea, MN 56007; or Trinity Lutheran Church, 609 Lincoln Ave. S., Owatonna, MN 55060.