Robert 'Bob' L. Sorensen

Robert L. "Bob" Sorensen, 87, of Grand Island died Monday, Oct. 1, 2012, at St. Francis Medical Center in Grand Island. Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Gollaher Chapel of Trinity United Methodist Church, with the Rev. Del Roper officiating. Burial will be in the Grand Island City Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Apfel Funeral Home. Mr. Sorensen was born Aug. 17, 1925, in Fremont to Carl and Christina (Gude) Sorensen. Survivors of the immediate family include his wife, Marjorie Sorensen of Grand Island; three daughters and a son-in-law, Susie Graf, Janet Sorensen and Nancy and Frank Zavala, all of Grand Island; a brother, Jack Sorensen of Grand Island; and a sister, Virginia Gerbig of Grand Island. Also left to cherish his memory are grandchildren, Brandy King of Grand Island, Bobbi Zubia and Abbs Zubia, both of Grand Island, Chad and wife, Leigh Zavala, of Bellevue, Brett and wife, Danelle Zavala, of Omaha, and Ali and husband, Brandon Beekman, of Lincoln; great-grandchildren Andy King, Lexie Zubia, Jaysa Schlund, Cade Zavala, Tessa Zavala, Addison Zavala, Brody Zavala, Easton Beekman and Paxton Beekman; as well as his beloved dog, Micki. He grew up in Grand Island and graduated from Grand Island Senior High School in 1944. He was united in marriage to Marjorie J. Seymour on Feb. 6, 1945, in Grand Island. The couple lived in Grand Island, where Bob was the owner of Sorensen's Body shop until his retirement in 1990. Bob founded the ABCDD Girls Softball League in 1962. The league celebrated its 50th year this past July with Bob throwing out the ceremonial first pitch at the softball fields named in his honor. Bob also served on the Grand Island City Council for 24 years, from 1956 to 1964, and again from 1986 to 2002. He received the Jim Lewis Softball Award in 1978 and was inducted into the Nebraska Softball Hall of Fame in 1982. In addition to his sports accomplishments, he was a Mason for 60 years, served on the board of health and was a board member for the Grand Generation Center. His community involvement earned him several awards, including the Citizen Award in 1981, the Service to Mankind Award in 1996 and 2007, the Golden Apple Award in 1996, and he became the first recipient if the Independent's Lifetime Community Builder Award. Bob was preceded in death by his parents. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Grand Generation Center or to the Bob Sorensen Scholarship Fund.