Ellen Louise Sorenson was born on February 22, 1918 at Amery, Wisconsin to Axel and Anna (Sorenson) Spangberg. She was baptized at Balsam Lutheran Church, rural Amery and later confirmed at First Lutheran Church, Clear Lake. Her family moved to the Clear Lake area when she was young. Louise attended Edgewood School and later graduated from Clear Lake High School. She went on to graduate from nursing school in Minneapolis and worked for several years. On October 22, 1940, she married Glen Sorenson at Decorah, Iowa. They farmed their family dairy farm at Deer Park.
Louise began her cooking career at Pleasant View School and later became the baker for the Amery Public Schools. She was active in local and state school food service organizations during her career. She retired in 1981.
Louise was a member of the Clear Lake Museum Board and a member of the East Immanuel W.E.L.C.A. She enjoyed attending Elderhostels and working at the Clear Lake Museum. Louise liked sharing her baking with her friends and neighbors, especially her cinnamon rolls and brownies. She liked taking rolls to WXCE and became known as the WXCE baker, a title she was proud of.
She died at Greeley Health Care Center, Stillwater, Minnesota on Saturday, February 23, 2001.
She was preceded in death by her husband Glen, son and daughter-in-law David and Evelyn Sorenson, and sisters Esther Wahl and Edna Spangberg.
She is survived by her daughters Barbara and Marla Sorenson of Deer Park and sister Gladys Spangberg, Amery, nieces and nephews and her dog Amy.
A memorial service was held for E. Louise Sorenson on Saturday, March 3, 2001 at 11:00 a.m. at East Immanuel Lutheran Church, Deer Park, WI. Clergy were Pastors Loren and Linda Schumacher, organist was Jane Johnson and vocalist was Kathy Brihn. Honorary casketbearers were David Paulson, Herb Buck, Jeff Virant, Charles Clark, Eric Paulson, David Buck, and Charles Hurley. Interment will be at the Clear Lake Cemetery, Clear Lake, WIl Scheuermann-Hammer Funeral Home of Clear Lake handled the arrangements.
(Clear Lake Museum Chronicle)
