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David Brian Sorensen

August 29, 1937 ~ September 28, 2013


After an incredibly stubborn fight with bowel cancer, Dad has made his peace.

Dad was born and raised on a dairy farm in Creston, BC, one of eight children.

He is predeceased by his father Simon, mother May, his sister Anne Bjarnason and his brother Carl. Beverley, the mother of his children and his special partner Melody van der Walt.

Dad received his journeyman ticket from SAIT in Calgary. In 1962 he bought an old milk truck, packed up his young family and moved to Cranbrook where he started East West Refrigeration. He was a one man band and single handedly installed the refrigeration components for most of the large buildings within the East Kootenay’s.

Many will remember him as the giant with the red curly hair.

During his career in Cranbrook, Dad made a deal on a job and in exchange got himself a cabin at Tie Lake which was his pride and joy. Many a good time was shared by all compliments of Dad.

In 1975, he was offered the position at C & A Sheet Metal in Lethbridge to head up their new refrigeration department. The move was on. Come the 80’s, Dad decided that it was time for a career change, something that would ease him into retirement and so became “Dave’s Mini Mall” located in Nobleford, AB. He loved the small town environment and his “regulars” who came every day.

Rather than simply retire, Dad became the caretaker at Elk Sanca, a camp for children at Kootenay Lake. He had finally found the place he was supposed to be.

Dad believed that there was merit in hard work and practiced what he preached.

He dabbled in all kinds of activities, trying everything at least once from taking the biggest bobcat in the Kootenay’s at the time, to fishing, always wearing red cause “fish like red” to wood burning, wine making, cooking, you name it. Then came the Winnebago, that’s another story. He was a jack of all trades there was nothing that he could not fix. He loved the outdoors most of all.

He is survived by his sisters Kay Harris, Marion MacDonald and Barbara Dolan, his brothers Johnnie and Stan Sorensen many nieces and nephews, his daughters Katie Nagy, Tracey Sawatsky (Doug), his son Brian Sorensen and his precious grandchildren Catlin & Teagan Nagy.

It takes an army to do this battle and we would like to thank our employer’s, clients & friend’s for graciously allowing us the time to care for Dad during the fight. A special thanks to Ingrid Boudreau for holding the fort.

Dad was a simple man and requested that there be no fuss, he asked that we all get together sometime and enjoy each other.

In appreciation for their assistance we would be honored to have the Cranbrook & Kimberley Hospice Society benefit from Dad’s life:

#20 – 23rd Avenue South, Cranbrook, BC, V1C 5V1, or phone: 1-250- 417-2019

“Courage is being scared to death and saddling up anyway” – John Wayne

It’s 5 o’clock somewhere…..

Arrangements entrusted to McPherson Funeral Service. Condolences for the family can be offered at: www.mcphersonfh.com