Joy Sorensen

Joy Sorensen, 85, of Duluth, passed away on Aug. 19th at Essentia St. Mary’s, with her family at her side.  Joy was born June 30, 1934 in Chickasha, OK, to Allen and Beulah Cox.  She was raised in Enid, OK, where she was a tennis star at Enid High School and afterwards achieved notable work toward her B.A. degree. She met Ron Sorensen and they were married on March 7, 1954 in Enid.  She held various positions throughout her career such as switchboard operator at Oklahoma State University, manager of motels, typing up thesis for graduate students, working in the dairy industry, cook at a lodge in Canada and a dental assistant. She also had a significant role as a school librarian, teaching students in the Grand Rapids school district.

In Duluth, she was a very active member of Mount Olive Baptist Church; Joy enjoyed making new friends and helping people; she was a competitive tennis player; she loved to golf, cook, fish, camp, go RVing, watch tennis, knit, but most of all, Joy loved spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren and others, both young and old. She was very interested in helping young people develop a sound Christian relationship with the lord. All in all she was a perfect help mate, creative thinker and was directly responsible for much of the success of her husband. She always possessed a kind and loving spirit.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Allen and Beulah and her siblings, Bobby Cox and Geneva Stubbs.

Joy is survived by her husband, Ron; daughter, Dianna (Adam) Rust; son, Wes Sorensen; grandchildren, Grant (Morgan) Sorensen, Kaitlyn (Dan) Buck and Kristin Sorensen; her sister, Jo Edge and many nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be Tuesday from 11am to the 12 noon services at Lakeside Presbyterian Church, 4430 McCulloch St., Duluth, MN.  Memorials are preferred and may be directed to Joy’s family, to be used to help an adopted family in Africa.  Arrangements by Dougherty Funeral Home, 600 E 2nd St. Duluth, MN, (218) 727-3555.