Our wonderful father, husband, brother and friend Rich Sorenson made his way to heaven on Wednesday, April 10, 2019 at the young age of 66. He was surrounded by family and friends as he, in his words, went before us to “get the party started” with Jesus!
Rich was born Oct. 23, 1952 to Robert and Irene Sorenson in Portland, Oregon.
Rich grew up working on his grandparents’ ranch in California’s Santa Clara Valley picking prized fruits and vegetables. His grandparents, Antone and Marie Rose, had immigrated from the Azore Islands of Portugal to the Golden State and were pioneer ranchers in the early 1900’s.
In 1972, Rich moved from Saratoga, California, to Carson City, where he enjoyed hunting, boating and motorcycle riding through the Sierra Nevada.
He also began a 42-year career as a union drywall finisher and a true artist of his trade, having produced custom wall textures for homes and businesses throughout the Lake Tahoe region and Northern Nevada.
Rich also served as a foreman on landmark projects, including the Embassy Suites Lake Tahoe, Circus Circus, Scheels, University of Nevada, Reno Knowledge Center, the Silver Legacy and Harrah’s Lake Tahoe.
Rich was a passionate lover of music. If you wanted to know anything about a song, band or artist Rich was your man. He could talk music with anyone of any age and had a knowledge of all styles of music from the 1940’s thru today. As a child, Rich learned how to play drums using plastic buckets. He later developed as a vocalist and harmonica player, jamming with a number of local blues and rock bands.
He attended hundreds of concerts in his lifetime, including some at San Francisco’s famous Fillmore West Theater. He witnessed several music legends in concert, including Elvis Presley, the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, the Eagles, and Stevie Wonder.
During the last six years of his life, Rich accepted Jesus Christ into his heart and received a fullness of life that only God can give.
He grew into the husband, father and friend God always meant him to be. Rich helped found the Northern Nevada Dream Center in 2014, a place where his love for Nevada was used to bring hope and relief to people in need.
Rich served at the Dream Center wherever there was need, whether that meant picking up weekly food donations, leading the Southgate Apartments Food Truck, volunteering in the Celebrate Recovery program, or just offering encouragement, a prayer, food, clothing and spreading joy around town.
He loved God with all he had and was an enthusiastic member of his community with a heart for helping people.
Rich is cheering on from heaven his wife Susan, sons Nick, Richard, Jr., and Sam, sister Barbara, brother Bill, mother-in-law Marti, brothers-in-law Larry, Bob and Andy, sisters-in-law Robyn and Rhonda, best friend Jill, nieces and nephews Jennifer, Kelley, Billy, Joey, Kyle, Tanner, Emily and Kailey, aunt Dorothy and a wonderful group of cousins, great nieces, nephews and friends. (Romans 12:1)
Rich had asked that in lieu of flowers and cards, donations be made in his memory to the Northern Nevada Dream Center, 3579 U.S. Highway 50 East #211, Carson City, NV 89701. Donate here.
A celebration of Rich’s life is scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday, May 4 at Fountainhead Foursquare Church, 3690 U.S. Highway 395 in South Carson City. Everyone is invited!