Following is text of the tribute to Oscar and Pat Sorensen which Tom Mauro read after the ceremony at Fort Logan Cemetery, which was attended by 20+ MSOC members:
Oscar and Pat Sorensen Remembrances
June 23, 2022
The Mauro-Sunahara-Rios Family misses Oscar and Pat Sorensen. They were among our best friends over the past five decades. We think of them as stars in the universe that provide light wherever and to whomever they met. As we know from the Hubell and Webb telescopes, we are just now seeing the light from the beginning of the universe over 4 billion years ago and that light and Oscar’s and Pat’s never dies.
Joie and Pat first met when Amy and Julie went to kindergarten, and I met Oscar shortly after that as a result.
The Sorensens were probably our closest friends during the times our children were in school together at Whiteman and Hallett during bussing and then at Holm, Hamilton, and Thomas Jefferson, and at CU.
Andrea says, “The Sorensen's were really like second parents. We would go down to their house all the time - many times a week. If we ever couldn't find my parents, they were at the Sorensens. If our dog, Scooby, got out, even he was at the Sorensen's.”
Andrea bought her first car from Mr. Sorensen because he was selling his. Besides Pinky, our Dad's 1956 pink Pontiac Chieftain, I thought Mr S.'s car was so cool and felt so cool driving it and thought he was so cool for selling it to us. It was a robin's egg blue "77 Mercedes Benz.
We all were involved in Odyssey of the Mind or now Destination Imagination. Julie, Amy, and Andrea were all on teams at Holm, Hamilton, and TJ and their teams won nine state championships, one world title, and never finished in less than the top 10. The Sorensens were with us on all those trips to the World Finals in Arizona, Maryland, Tennessee, Florida, and Iowa. Oscar became a coach, and then a state judge, and then a World judge. He always gave freely of his time, his talent, and his treasure. Andrea particularly liked Oscar’s pronunciation of “dinoSour” in one of the challenges. It would make her team laugh and they would ask him to say it over and over.
In addition to those trips, we took trips to Crested Butte, Steamboat, Vail, Yellowstone, Glenwood Springs, Colorado Springs, and Glacier National Park. Many of these were Optimist Second Honeymoon weekends. (Put on the Bat Ears).
The Sorensens taught us Mexican train, and we played Trivial Pursuit with the kids. Oscar had memorable sayings for all the games. In Mexican train, Oscar had a saying for every round. For example, if the 8 domino was in the center of the train, Oscar would say, “8 on the train, 8 on the train or 8 Skate and donate.”
We shared the love of dogs and cats and took care of one another’s dogs when on vacation. Ruffles, Sparky, Scooby, Bosley, Pepper, Blossom, and Biscotti were all great friends. We consoled each other when any of the animals passed on.
Pat and Joie were best of friends, and we lived just a half block away for years. Pat was the president of the PTA at Hamilton and TJ and then Joie followed her as president also at Hamilton and TJ. They were breakfast buddies with other Optimist families such as the Gustas’, Youngs, and Swards.
Oscar was, of course, my Optimist sponsor, and made sure I knew every aspect of Optimism including all of the projects and the principles of Optimism, which he practiced during his entire life.
He was involved in Thanksgiving and Christmas Baskets that Amy, Andrea, and Julie delivered every holiday and still do so today, Citizenship, Goblins Calling, MS events, Alzheimer Runs at City Park, etc. Pat, Oscar, Joie, and I attended every Optimist activity and convention imaginable with our families over the years.
As a realtor Oscar bought and sold all of our properties as well as others in the club. He always said if a property did not sell or an offer wasn’t accepted, there was always a better one around the corner.
Oscar was the reason we started the business card advertising in the Monaco South directory. Yes, remember how much money you can make? Yes, that’s right. $1 million dollars. And “jumpin, jiminy,” did he love that Christmas tree lot.
When I ran for the school board Oscar was at my side at campaign events and a trusted advisor when I served. He gave freely of his time campaigning for two bond issues and served on the committees to make sure the bond money was spent on what it was supposed to be spent on. That money resulted in the first computers in classrooms in the DPS and sorely needed capital improvements throughout the district. The hours he gave were beyond all measure.
As families we were always together on birthdays and holidays laughing and listening to Oscar tell jokes only as he could. Joie and Pat canned peaches, and pickles together, and Pat taught Joie how to arrange flowers in the garden. When Pat could no longer plant her garden, Andrea and Emma planted hers.
When Joie had the pedestal at TJ fall over and smash her foot at a PTSA meeting, Pat nursed her back to health. When Pat was struck with MS, Joie provided continual support and friendship.
Oscar and I did not agree with each other on all political issues, although we agreed on more than many of you think. The key ingredient in our relationship was, however, that we listened to each other and each other’s opinion. My goodness, what a concept. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could all spread that concept wherever we go now?
We love and loved the Sorensens. They made our lives richer, more fun, more exciting, and very optimistic. We miss them but will never forget them, and we thank you, Julie, for sharing them with us.
Past Colorado/Wyoming Optimist Governor Hank Wyeno (1999-2000), introduced by Speaker Chair, Mark Metevia, produced a powerful program detailing the internment of Japanese Americans in 10 camps across the USA. 125,000 American citizens were imprisoned during this despicable time. Between 1942 and 1945, the United States government incarcerated more than 10,000 Japanese Americans at the Granada Relocation Center, an internment camp in southeastern Colorado (near Holly), that was also known as Amache. :focal(2016x1517:2017x1518)/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/f2/02/f202a3f9-8735-4ddd-99a4-32670d355356/img_4485.jpg)
Tom Mauro thanked everyone who attended Oscar Sorensen’s Memorial Service at Ft. Logan on Thursday and committed to wearing Oscar's badge to all future meetings, in memory of our lost and beloved brother.
From Bob Meyer: