On Saturday, February 16, Henning Sorensen, loving husband and father, died at the age of 91. Henning was born on April 15, 1927 in Denmark to Jens and Kirstine Sorensen. The oldest of three children, the family included his brother Erling and sister Lis.
Henning worked on the family farm in Paarup for much of his early life. He decided to move to the United States, and was accepted into a farm exchange program that would begin in the fall of 1953. In the summer of 1953, while waiting to travel to the U.S., Henning worked in Sweden and met the love of his life, Kerstin Larsson, in her home town of Rostanga.
The farm exchange program sent Henning to LaOtto on the farm of Bud Bryan. When the program ended, he returned to Paarup and the family farm. In April of 1955, Henning returned to the United States permanently, working in LaOtto for Lynn Harlan.
On August 10, 1957, he and Kerstin, who had followed her love to Indiana, married in Chicago. Henning started his own business in 1968, Henning’s Plumbing & Heating, in LaOtto. The business grew and thrived over the years.
Although Henning would never talk about it, former customers would often share that he would provide services even when he knew that payment would never come. Henning had a tremendous work ethic and had many other business projects in addition to his primary business. A traditional man, he was focused on providing for Kerstin and their four children, Jens, Lars, Nina and Lena.
Jens now owns and runs the business. One of Henning’s passions was flying. A private pilot for many years, he loved flying his Cessna 150 from the grass airstrip in LaOtto.
It was a proud moment for him when Lena also got her license and joined him in the Cessna. Henning’s family discovered another side of him when Henning found himself in the role of caretaker to his wife. Having been cared for by Kerstin for most of his married life, Henning took on that role for Kerstin when dementia took those abilities from her.
They stayed in their home in LaOtto as long as they could, moving to an apartment in the Towne House Retirement Community in Fort Wayne in 2017, with Kerstin moving into the memory care unit last year. Henning is survived by his wife, Kerstin, brother, Erling, and his children and their spouses, Jens Sorensen, Lars and Dominique Sorensen, Nina Sorensen and Dennis Schoff, and Lena Yarian. Henning was the proud grandfather of six grandchildren, Kat and Maggie Schoff, Spencer and Brittmarie Yarian, and Tyler and Nicolette Sorensen.
In addition to Erling, Henning had many family members in Denmark who were very special to him. In his final months and days, Henning received great care from the nurses and aides at the Towne House and by the nurses of Heartland Hospice, and his family wishes to express their appreciation and gratitude for all those wonderful people. Per Henning’s request, no services will take place.
Thomas Funeral Home entrusted with the arrangements.
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