Arleen L. (Zingg) Sorenson

Arleen LaVonne (Zingg) Sorenson was born July 20, 1924 to Grover and Helen (Peterson) Zingg. She passed away peacefully on April 24, 2021 in Rochester, Minnesota.

Funeral services for Arleen Sorenson will be held on Tuesday, April 27, 2021, at 2:00 PM at the Crystal Lake United Methodist Church, 215 Summit Avenue in Crystal Lake with Pastor Les Green officiating. Burial will be at Crystal Township Cemetery.

Visitation for Arleen Sorenson will be held one hour prior to services at the church on Tuesday afternoon.

She was raised by Helen on a farm near Leland, Iowa and had a special bond with her step-father, Alfred Flatrud. Following her graduation from Leland High School in 1942, Arleen attended Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls, Iowa. She later received her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees from Mankato State University where she maintained a perfect 4.0 grade point average.

Arleen began her 33 year teaching career in Linden Township and Bingham Township rural schools. She mainly taught in the Woden-Crystal Lake Community School District where she was a First Grade teacher for over 25 years.

Arleen was united in marriage to Wilbur Hans Sorenson on December 21, 1947. To this union, children LeAnn, Dean and Terry were born. The family made their home on their Century Farm near Crystal Lake. Arleen and Wilbur enjoyed 56+ years of marriage before Wilbur passed away in 2004.

Arleen was a longtime member of the United Methodist Church in Crystal Lake where she was active as a Sunday school and Vacation Bible school teacher and active with the United Methodist Women’s Circle. She was previously a member of West Prairie Lutheran Church in Winnebago County, where she was baptized, confirmed and married.

Family was central in Arleen’s life. Arleen and Wilbur would travel to Dallas, TX to spend several weeks each summer with Dean and his daughters, Katie and Stephanie as they grew up. Arleen helped care for her daughter LeAnn as she battled cancer until her death in January, 1990. Beginning in 1997, Arleen and Wilbur lived with Terry and helped care for Nathan. This allowed her to care for her husband Wilbur as he battled Alzheimer’s disease. Arleen also enjoyed a close relationship with her grandchildren Sheila and Linda. She will always be remembered for her kindness and beautiful smile.

Arleen is survived by her sons Dean (Karen) Sorenson of Northfield, MN and Terry (Vicki Allen) Sorenson of Rochester, MN; son-in-law Jerry Anderson of Britt, IA; grandchildren Sheila (Drew) Verts of Las Vegas, NV, Linda Anderson of San Diego, CA, Katie (Stephen) LaRue of Missoula, MT, Stephanie Sorenson of Spokane, WA, Nathan Sorenson of Rochester, MN, Ryan Thorsen of Minneapolis, MN, Ashley Thorsen of Mason City, IA, Jeffrey (Michelle) Groenenboom of Rochester, MN; great-grandchildren Natalie Livingston, Evelyn Groenenboom, Nora Groenenboom, Tripp LaRue, and Rhett LaRue, along with numerous nieces, nephews, and other relatives.

Arleen was preceded in death by her parents, husband Wilbur (2004), daughter LeAnn Anderson (1990), sister Mavis Holt (2011), twin brother Arlin “Ted” Zingg (2009), brother Dale Zingg (2018), and sister Ruth Charlson (2019) as well as other beloved family members.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials are directed to the Alzheimer’s Association or to the United Methodist Church of Crystal Lake.