Obituary of Wilma L. Sorensen

Wilma L. Sorensen, age 87, of Yankton, passed away Saturday morning, June 7, 2014 at the Wakonda Heritage Manor (Avera), Wakonda, SD. Funeral services will be 11:00 AM, Wednesday, June 11, 2014 at the United Church of Christ (Congregational), Yankton, SD with Rev. Paul M. Opsahl officiating. Burial will be in the Union Cemetery, Rural Wakonda, SD at approximately 1:15 PM. Visitations will begin at 5:00 PM, Tuesday, June 10, 2014 at the Opsahl-Kostel Funeral Home and Crematory, Yankton with the family present at 7:00 PM. Visitations will resume one hour prior to the service at the church. Pallbearers will be Andy Kohl, Nick Wuebben, Cody Neerings, Keith Thompson, Jay Kokes, Mark Kiger, Ron Nelson and Mike Nelson. Honorary pallbearers are granddaughters and great-grandchildren. Wilma was born January 1, 1927 to Louis and Elsie (Hall) Nelson in Wakonda. She grew up in Wakonda, attending Wakonda schools and graduating from Wakonda High school in 1945. She was baptized and confirmed in Wakonda Congregational Church. She married Walter L. Sorensen on February 27, 1946 at Pleasant Valley Lutheran Church in Westerville, SD. They had two children, Linda and Alan. Wilma and Walter were engaged in farming in the Wakonda area until 1968 when they moved to Yankton. She worked at the Yankton Human Services Center until her retirement. Wilma was active in church as a Sunday School teacher and played piano for congregational music. She was a member of the Yankton Moose Lodge and Yankton VFW Auxiliary. She enjoyed her family, visiting and dancing. In November 1999, she and Walter moved to Cloverleaf Apartments in Yankton, where she remained until March 2010 when she became a resident at Wakonda Heritage Manor. She is survived by her daughter, Linda Brown and her husband, Dan of Volin, SD; son, Alan and his wife, Loretta of Yankton, SD; five grandchildren; eleven great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband and three brothers.