Marie Sorum 1880-1947

SORUM

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 9/26/2012 at 22:54:03

Marie Sorum Dies in Iowa
Miss Marie Sorum, 67, formerly of Albert Lea, died at a hospital in Estherville, Ia. yesterday. Her death was attributed to a heart ailment. Miss Sorum had served as county superintendent of schools in Estherville for the past 27 years.

Funeral services will be conducted Friday, May 23, at 1 p.m. at Estherville and at 4:30 p.m. from the Round Prairie church. Burial will be made in the family lot at the Round Prairie church cemetery.

Surviving Miss Sorum are a brother, Muns, of Minneapolis, a sister-in-law, Mrs. Marie Sorum of Albert Lea and a nephew, Herbert Sorum, also of Albert Lea. (Albert Lea Evening Tribune, Albert Lea, MN, May 21, 1947)

Funeral Rites for Marie Sorum Will Be Friday
Burial Will Be at Albert Lea, Minn.
Funeral services for Marie Sorum will be held Friday afternoon at 1:30 in the Estherville Lutheran church. Friends may call at the Sternborg funeral home until 10 a.m. Friday morning when the body will be taken to the Estherville Lutheran church to lie in state there until time of service.

Those wishing to view the body may do so as they enter the church for the service. The casket will be closed during the service and will not be opened again.

Burial will be near Albert Lea.

Friends and associates of Marie Sorum were discussing memorials for her today. There were a variety of suggestions, which included gifts to the Emmet county rural library, the Iowa Society for Crippled Children and other causes in which Miss Sorum manifested interest.

There was no convergence on a single memorial but close associates asked that it be stated that those wishing to subscribe for memorials might do so and that donors should indicate their preference.

Mrs. Wilbur Thorndyke, member of the county board of education said she would be glad to assist by accepting responsibility for memorial gifts left with her. (Estherville Daily News, Estherville, IA, May 21, 1947)

School Superintendent of Emmet County Dies
Estherville – Marie Sorum, 67, Emmet county superintendent of schools 27 years, died Tuesday. She had been ill since January but apparently was recovering.

Miss Sorum spent Monday at work in her office, became ill during the night and died Tuesday. She came to Emmet county in1909.

Fifty-seven high school students lived at her home while attending school during her years in Estherville. (Countil Bluffs Iowa Nonparell, Council Bluffs, IA, May 21, 1947)

Co. Supt. Marie Sorum Dies Suddenly
Was On Duty At Office Since Her Illness
Marie Sorum was born February 28, 1880, to Mr. Hans and Mrs. Ingrid Sorum, who thenlived five miles south of Albert Lea, Minnesota. Miss Sorum was baptized and confirmed in the Round Prairie Lutheran Church. Her high school training was received in the Albert Lea Luther Academy. After completing her work there she entered the University of Minnesota. She taught first in the schools in Rake, Iowa and then came to Estherville in the year 1909 and all the rest of her years have been spent in the interest of children and education in this community. She has taught in the schools of Huntington, Gruver, and she taught in Estherville when school was conducted in the Old Bank Building. Miss Sorum celebrated her twenty fifth anniversary in the office of Superintendent of Schools two years ago. She has now completed twenty-seven years of service to her community in that capacity. During her years she spent in Estherville she has been an active member of the Estherville Lutheran Church, and previous to a serious injury she sustained some years ago she was one of the teachers of the Sunday School.

Miss Sorum has spent much of her time in the hospital since January 28th, but had been home since the middle of April. She was apparently on her way to recovery, and she spent all of Monday in her office, working until 5:30 in the evening. During the night she was taken very sick, and passed away in the early morning Tuesday, about 4:30 o’clock.

Miss Sorum literally gave her life in the interest of children in the county in which she served as Superintendent. In addition to serving them in her official duties, she has made a home for several children. Fifty-three high school pupils have lived in her home during their high school days. Several children have been taken into her home from the Lutheran Welfare Society. Miss Sorum was active in any institution which served the interest of the children and the young people. She was a member of the state board of the Iowa Society for Crippled children, and served as chairman of the local committee of that organization. During the post-war days she gave much energy to directing the drive to obtain clothing for the needy in the war-devastated areas of Europe.

Miss Sorum is survived by one brother, Mons Sorum of Austin, Minnesota and by two nephews, Francis Sorum of Minneapolis, and Hubert of Albert Lea, Minnesota, and by several cousins living in that community. A vast host of friends from her own community and state will keenly miss her from their midst. Few people have had the privilege of giving themselves so completely for their community as has Miss Sorum.

Funeral services will be held on Friday afternoon from the Sternborg Funeral Chapel at 1:15 and from the Estherville Lutheran Church at 1:30. Burial will be in the cemetery of the Round Prairie Lutheran Church south of Albert Lea, Minnesota. Miss Sorum may be viewed at the Sternborg Funeral Chapel from Wednesday evening on. (Estherville Enterprise, Estherville, IA, May 22, 1947)