Dorothy Lorraine (Barker) Sorden, 27 Jul 1915 - 30 Mar 2019

SORDEN, BARKER, HILL, GENT

Posted By: Sarah Witte (email)
Date: 7/17/2019 at 12:18:46

Dorothy Larraine (Barker) Sorden, a daughter of Charles Melburn and Daisy Hill Barker, was born near Millersburg, Iowa, July 27, 1915. She passed away on Saturday, March 30, 2019, at the English Valley Care Center, at the age of 103 years.

She was one of a family of six children. Dorothy attended and graduated from Millersburg Consolidated Schools and attended Parsons College in Fairfield, Iowa, for two years and taught rural school in Iowa County for two years.

She was married to George Lyman Sorden Sr. in San Diego, Calif., on June 15, 1936. They became the parents of two children, Donna Lee and George Lyman Jr. (Bud).

The family returned to Webster, Iowa, in 1939, where except for a year during World War II, when they lived in Albuquerque, they spent their lives, until 2009, when Dorothy moved to Valley View Assisted Living in North English, then to English Valley Care Center in 2014.

Dorothy was a member fo the Webster United Methodist Church, the Webster United Methodist Women and the Past Matron's of Rosalind Chapter Order of the Eastern Star.

Outside of her family and home, her greatest joy was gardening and caring for her flowers. She loved to share her flowers and she was happiest when she was "digging in the dirt." She shared her husband's enjoyment of fishing and spent many happy times on the lake in Canada.

She was preceded in death by her husband, George, on Dec. 7, 2001; son, George L. Jr. (Bud), Nov. 6, 2013; her parents; two sisters; three brothers; and seven grandchildren.

She is survived by a daughter, Donna Gent and husband, Raymond; daughter-in-law, Elaine Sorden; eight grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren and 15 great-great-grandchildren.

A Celebration of Life service will be held 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 2, at the Webster United Methodist Church in Webster. The Rev. Dr. Charles Klink will officiate. Burial will be in the Sorden Cemetery near Webster. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday at the Powell Funeral Home in North English.

Memorials are for the Webster United Methodist Church. Messages and tributes may be left at www.powellfuneralhomes.com.

Published in The Gazette on Apr. 1, 2019 and in The English Valleys Star on Apr. 3, 2019