Robert Paul Sorensen

Bob Sorensen was born in Waterford, New York, on September 6, 1926, to the proud parents of Edna and Carl Sorensen.  He was the third youngest of four children and enjoyed horseback riding, camping, fishing, and snow-skiing, to name a few.  One of his favorite outdoor activities was swimming.  The Hudson River was across the alley from his back yard and he used to climb up a very high bridge crossing over the river and jump off it.  Bob attended Waterford High School but dropped out of school to enlist in the Marine Corps in 1944.  He was stationed at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.  When he completed his service with the Marine Corps in 1946, he returned to complete his classes at Waterford High School and received his high school diploma.  He joined the Navy in 1948 and while in Philadelphia he went on a blind date with a young registered nurse from Temple University Hospital named Virginia who swept him off his feet.  They got married with another couple on November 9, 1950, and had three children, Vicki, Robert and Tracy.  During his Naval career, Bob performed duties as an enlisted man over a period which included the crisis years of WW11 and the Korean War.  He served on three ships, the USS Cascade, USS Currituck, and USS Prairie, and was stationed at Naval Training Centers at Bainbridge, Maryland, Great Lakes, Illinois, and San Diego, California.  He received many commendations which included Navy Occupation Service Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, Victory Medal World War II, and both Navy and Marine Good Conduct Medals. Bob achieved the rank of Shipfitter Chief in November 1960.  He later retired after serving the United States Navy faithfully and honorably for twenty years.

Bob loved God, his Country, Family and Friends. He was a family man who absolutely loved and adored his wife Ginny.  He was a wonderful dad to his children and took his family camping, traveling and on many road trips.  He loved life, had such a great sense of humor, and was liked and respected by all who met him. On May 16, 1983, after fighting a long battle with Kidney disease, he died at the age of 56 at the Veteran’s Hospital in La Jolla.  Here is a recent quote from Ginny:  “Bob was a true leader and Serviceman”