Joy M. Sorenson

Joy Marguerite (Collett) Sorenson was born near Cashion, Oklahoma, on May 19, 1914. She was the third of eight children born to Andrew and Pearl (Broadbooks) Collett. They soon moved to Geary, Oklahoma, where she spent her childhood on the farm. In 1928, the family moved to McPherson, Kansas, and Joy finished high school and attended Central Christian College. While there, she met (Lloyd) Elmer Sorenson, and in 1937, they were married. This union was blessed with three children: Carl Edwin, Karen Louise, and Dennis Lloyd. Elmer, along with his brothers, Walter and Maurice, operated United Dairies until 1972. Joy was a bookkeeper for the dairy operation for a number of years. Elmer preceded her in death on November 21, 2005.

Joy was a devoted Christian, a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, and friend. Her happiest times were spent with her family and helping others, offering gifts of encouragement, humor, and loving care. Joy worked in the offices of physicians, William Heaston, M.D. and Arthur H. Dyck, M.D. for about 15 years while rearing her young family. Later, she worked in the Development Office at Central Christian College. She enjoyed teaching a kindergarten Sunday school class as well as volunteering many hours for the McPherson Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, the Free Methodist Church, and the college. Her hand-embroidered dish towels were treasured by her friends and family members.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Elmer, her sisters, Vera Conklin, Ellen Moore, and Ruby Simpkins, and brothers, Andrew Collett and John Collett.

Joy entered her eternal rest on December 16, 2013, at the age of 99. Surviving members of the family include her children, Carl Sorenson and his wife, Donna, of Hutchinson, Kansas, Karen Sorenson Joy and her husband, David, of Round Rock, Texas, Dennis Sorenson and his wife, Jennifer, of Seal Beach, California; her sisters, Letha Cooke of Tulare, California and Rhoma Mikkelson of Salem, Oregon; five grandchildren, Sheryl Sorenson Shults, Carla Sorenson Hall, Kristin Joy Boyer, Ryan Joy, and Derek Sorenson; and nine great-grandchildren, Megan, Tommy and Anna Shults, Stephen and Allison Hall, Kennedy, Cody and Caden Joy, and Joslyn Boyer.

The memorial service will be at 11:00 AM, Saturday, December 21, 2013, at the McPherson Free Methodist Church with Rev. Tom Griffith and Rev. Deborah Somerville officiating. A graveside service will precede the memorial service at 9:30 AM, Saturday, at the McPherson Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 3:00 to 8:00 PM, Friday, December 20, at Stockham Family Funeral Home with the family receiving friends from 6:00 to 8:00 PM.

Memorial donations may be given to the McPherson Free Methodist Church or Central Christian College of Kansas in care of Stockham Family Funeral Home, 205 North Chestnut, McPherson, KS 67460. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Joy M. Sorenson please visit our Sympathy Store.