Clara Sorensen

Clara Margaret Mann Sorensen

August 7, 1927 ~ April 30, 2018

Clara Margaret Mann Sorenson passed away from this life to rejoin her beloved husband Walter Sorensen on April 30, 2018. Clara was born on August 7, 1927 to John Mann and Elizabeth Klein at home on the farm close to Huff, North Dakota. Clara was the third of 10 children. She went to school in a one room school run by Catholic Nuns. In high school, Clara would stay with a family in Mandan and work for her room and board thru school year only to go home occasionally.

After graduating high school in 1946, Clara was a teacher at the one room school house. Clara’s aunt worked at the Bismarck Catholic Hospital and knew Sister Mary Margaret was starting the first nursing school at St. Benedict’s Hospital in Ogden, Utah. Clara had applied and was accepted to the very first class. Clara moved to Ogden, Utah and lived in the student nursing housing that was watched over very closely by the nuns. In 1948 to 1949 Clara would work with the patients in the iron lung during the polio epidemic, she could still smell the wool blankets that they had to warm up to wrap around the patients. Clara graduated on September 16, 1950.

Clara met her sweetheart Walter Sorensen at the hospital when one of his friends was a patient. Later, Clara married Walter Sorensen on April 4, 1951 in North Dakota. Walter and Clara settled down in Ogden, Utah and were later blessed to have two wonderful boys, Craig and Scott. They loved to camp, hunt, and fish. Clara would take a small swimming pool camping so that she could bath the boys and keep them clean.

Clara worked during the school year at St. Benedict’s Hospital in surgery and would be off during the summer. In 1972, Clara was asked to open the first outpatient surgery. She had to figure out how to run the department and made many friends. Every time she was in the hospital to visit or was a patient she would ask about and visit with as many of the nuns and her old co-workers that were still there. She would remember them starting out at the hospital and what had happened in their lives. Clara had a mind that would remember all the details about each one of them and made them feel special after their visit. Clara retired in 1989 as a supervisor over outpatient surgery.

Clara was very blessed to have one granddaughter Amanda Sorensen and two great-grandchildren Journii and Jaxton. Clara looked forward to their visits. She loved to spend time shopping with Amanda and was very interested in how Amanda was doing in school and life. Clara enjoyed spending time with them and would talk about their visits often. Clara loved her granddaughter and great-grandchildren and was always concerned about their well being and the way the world was today.

Clara and Walter enjoyed traveling and rock hounding after retirement. Clara donated her time to the Senior Center in North Ogden helping seniors with blood pressure readings and answering medical concerns. Clara many times would tell the seniors to take their blood pressure readings to their doctor. She was very concerned about their health. Clara also volunteered at the Natural History Museum at Union Station and then was moved to the Dinosaur Park. She served as secretary for many years and would record the meetings so that when she did the minutes everything would be right.

Clara was devoted to the care of her husband Walter and sorely missed him when he passed away on November 18, 2012. Clara would spend time at this gravesite just to talk and be near him.

Clara endured a valiant battle with esophageal cancer for the last 6 years. Her body was just worn out from the fight of life. She gave it her all. May she find peace and rest as she is reunited with her family and spouse. We will all miss Clara and her spunk. May God bless and be with her.

Clara is survived by her two sons, Craig Walter Sorensen of Ogden, UT and Scott Jon (Laura) Sorensen of Ogden, UT; granddaughter, Amanda Sorensen of Salt Lake City, UT; great-granddaughter, Journii; great-grandson, Jaxton; former daughter-in-law, Cecilia Daliod; and her siblings, Isabella Mann Besserud of Casper, WY, Carola Mann Sirucek of Montana, Annella Mann Grannan of Marion, IA, James Mann of North Dakota, and Mary Kay Mann of North Dakota. She was preceded in death by her husband, Walter Sorensen; parents, John Mann and Elizabeth Klein; and siblings, John Raymond Mann, Agnes Elizabeth Mann Fowler, Robert Mann, and Charles Mann.

As a family we would like to give a special thank s to Chris Griffin, who tirelessly was by her side helping her out and showing great love to her. Legacy House of Ogden that was so patient with her and helped her when family could not be there. Her doctors Dr. Grey and Dr. Moulton and their wonderful staff who held her hand and helped to make critical decisions in her life.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, May 11, 2018 at 2 p.m. at Lindquist’s North Ogden Mortuary, 2140 N. Washington Blvd. Friends may visit with family on Friday from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. at the mortuary. Interment, Ben Lomond Cemetery, North Ogden.