Obituary of Betty Jean Dahl Sorensen

The daughters of Betty Jean Dahl Sorensen are honored to take a moment of your time to tell you about our incredible mother, whose life should be remembered and celebrated by all who knew her. Betty was born February 16, 1927, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to Clara and John Dahl. She graduated with a Bachelor's in Art from Coe College in Cedar Rapids. She met Wayne Sorensen, while she was working as a "soda jerk" at Vernon Heights' Pharmacy and they married September 12, 1948. While raising children, she continued her education, earning a master's degree in Counseling from Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. How many people conquer as many setbacks as she did? She recovered from a heart attack, cancer, a hip fracture and was destined to return home again after recovering from pacemaker placement when she received a call. On April 18, 2015, she received a call, a sort of invitation to join her husband…the kind of offer one can't refuse and one from which she will not be returning. She had been ready for this invitation for quite some time and her family is quite happy that she has been reunited with her husband of sixty-six years. She leaves three daughters and their families to treasure her memory: Janet and Michael Sheets of Kaysville, Utah, Joy and Dennis Nentrup of Burleson, Texas and their children, Laura and Nick, Jill and Robert Frost of Benton, Louisiana and their children, Trey and Katie. Also remembering her loving spirit are several nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by seven months by her husband, Wayne, as well as her mother, father and two sisters, Helen and Eleanor. Family and education was always a priority in Betty's home. She once told her daughter, Jill, that her proudest accomplishments were having a successful marriage, keeping a family together and raising her daughters to be educated and happy members of society. Betty taught many students over 25 years in Arkansas: in Umpire, Langley, Wickes, Dierks and DeQueen schools. Betty taught a wide variety of subjects including math, English, P.E., Spanish, art, geography, bookkeeping and typing. She often stayed late after school to work with students and was very involved with their lives even after they left her classroom. She served as the president of the DeQueen Teacher's Association and advocated at the state level of the Arkansas Teacher's Association as well. Betty loved talking to friends and family, art and caring for others. She was a hard worker, an avid reader and always enjoyed learning something new. She devoted much of her time to making a comfortable home for her family and a better community for others. She served as the local chairperson for the American Cancer Society, and the Cossatot Art Council to name just a couple of her many "volunteer" jobs. Her husband often commented that she didn't know how to say "no". Also important in her life was her church. She served at First United Methodist Church in the UMW (United Methodist Women) and as the church's first female president of the Council on Ministries. She taught the Weslyan Adult Sunday School Class for many years, made banners for the worship service and organized "family camp" several summers for her church family. She often invited widows to her family's holiday meals and "adopted" nursing home patients, visiting them and taking them to doctor's appointments. She was a wonderful example of a Christian woman, loving mother and committed wife. In lieu of flowers, donations made to First United Methodist Church, DeQueen, Arkansas, any wildlife or nature preservation society or National Relief Charities would be an appropriate and appreciated way to celebrate her love of the earth and others. Betty's life will be celebrated with a Memorial Service Monday, May 11th at the DeQueen United Methodist Church in DeQueen, Arkansas at 10:00 am.