08/31/2026
William “Bob” Sorensen
William Robert (“Bob”) Sorensen, 92, of Bettendorf, Iowa, passed away peacefully at home on August 28, 2026. He was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and friend, a man devoted to a life in the Lutheran Church and in higher education, and he will be deeply missed by many.
Dr. Sorensen was born in East Grand Forks, Minnesota, on April 18, 1934, to Chris E Sorensen (who passed away before his birth) and Viola Boese Sorensen. Bob was raised by his mother and grandmother and was an excellent athlete and loved to play the trumpet and sing in the choir. He was a passionate student and loved to learn. He graduated from East Grand Forks High School, attended St. Olaf and Concordia Colleges in Minnesota, earning a Bachelor of Arts in History and Literature. Upon graduating, he married Gwen Olson, of Buxton, North Dakota. Like his father before him, he decided to enter the ministry and attended Northwestern Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. After seminary, he studied further at Heidelberg University in Heidelberg, Germany. Upon returning home, he took a call at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Tabor, MN, then not long after became pastor at St. James Lutheran Church in Savage, Minnesota.
Never straying too far from the academic world, his next position was the Chaplain at Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois. From there, he became the campus pastor at Christus Rex at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks. At both institutions he taught courses in Religion and was instrumental in creating the Communiversity program. During his time at U.N.D., he was awarded a Bush Fellowship to complete his doctorate in Philosophy and Religion at the University of Iowa, in Iowa City.
In 1980 Bob returned to the Quad Cities area where he had been chaplain as the senior pastor at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Davenport, Iowa, a job he greatly enjoyed. Last was a long tenure as the Director of Education for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America at their headquarters in Chicago. Here he was able to meld his two greatest passions in life—education and the church. During this time, he was a member of the boards of numerous Lutheran Colleges and traveled all over the world. He helped establish and strengthen schools for children in impoverished and underserved areas of Africa and India. His was an extraordinarily full life, dedicated to the church he served so well, and the life of the mind he cherished.
Dr. Sorensen is survived by his wife, Gwen; his son, Nicholas Sorensen (Judy) of Lindstrom, Minnesota; and his daughter, Katherine Jones (Lawrence) of Bettendorf, Iowa. Grandchildren, Kendra Smith (Chance), Lindsay Sorensen Mendoza (Jon), Jay Jones (Chelsea), Kelsey Sorensen (Chase Grieves), Colin Sorensen. Great-grandchildren, Louis Sorensen, Emilio Sorensen, Junior Jones, Myles Jones and Rowan Grieves. He was preceded in death by his father, Chris E Sorensen, mother, Viola Boese Sorensen, brother, Theodore Sorensen and son, Christopher Sorensen. He leaves behind a loving family and his devoted friend, Paul Olsen. He will also be remembered by his dear friend of many years, Ann Lannan, with whom he shared a special love of singing.
Cremation will be directed by Mississippi Valley Cremation and Direct Burial, Moline, IL.
Thursday, September 10, 2026
11:00 AM: Celebration of Life Service at St. Paul Lutheran Church (2136 N Brady St, Davenport, IA)
12:00 PM: Luncheon (at the church)
Family and friends are invited to share memories and condolences on his memory page at www.mvcremation. com.
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