Obituary Patricia Ann Whitehead Sorensen, or “Sweetie” as she was affectionately called by her eternal companion and sweetheart and many who knew her well, passed away peacefully in the early morning on Monday April 29, 2019. Mom was born on October 10, 1931 to Walter Farrer Whitehead and Bessie Williams in Provo, Utah and was the third of five children born into that family. She spent her childhood in Provo, Des Moines, Iowa and Minneapolis, Minnesota before returning to Salt Lake City where she graduated from South High School.
Pat married Richard Paul Sorensen in the Salt Lake Temple on September 24, 1951. They lived in Salt Lake and Price prior to making their home in Holladay where they have resided for the past 58 years. Mom’s second home and by far her favorite place in the whole world was Lake Powell where she has vacationed since the lake began filling.
Mom had a desire to learn new things and was a voracious reader her entire life. She was knowledgeable well beyond her formal education and excelled at whatever she put her mind to. Throughout her adult life she attended many continuing education classes.
She was an accomplished seamstress and enjoyed quilting. A consummate entertainer, she always set a proper table and loved a formal meal with family or friends. She was an amazing cook.
As a young mom, her kids knew there was always homemade bread and jam or hot home made cookies ready when they all came in after school. Not only our friends, but many of the kids in the neighborhood sought her out for advice to life’s challenges or just a listening ear. She was a perfect mother for a bunch of adventurous boys and a daughter whom she adored.
Mom discovered a love of tennis and had several friends she played with until she couldn’t physically do it anymore. She belonged to a Book Club and sang in a trio for many years. She was an active member of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers and served at the University of Utah as an Advisor for the LDS Sorority Lambda Delta Sigma.
She also served as a Hostess at the LDS Church Office Building. Mom and Dad served as inner city missionaries in downtown Salt Lake. Mom worked with enthusiasm anywhere she was called to serve in the church-whether teaching, in leadership roles or as a Den Mother in the Cub Scouts she was always very actively involved and loved the opportunity to help others.
Mom was a supportive camper and saw this as a way to get her family together. One time while camping at the site of the Mountain Meadows Massacre she was cooking breakfast on the Coleman stove. She called to dad and said “Richard, there is a rattle snake coiled up next to this stove.
Come and move it”! Never shaken, she just continued to fix breakfast. Spring Break trips to Southern Utah were always an adventure and brought the family together for wonderful memories.
Before there were homes built all around our house, Mom came home to a terrarium built by her boys in her bathtub filled with snakes and frogs. Between all of the kids we probably had every pet known to man and Mom just went along with us, even tolerating escaped hamsters with a smile (including one that escaped from somebody’s shirt in the chapel during sacrament meeting)! She was amazing and gave us enough space to explore the world around us as we grew in independence.
Over the years she and Dad travelled to various parts of the world primarily to pick up their returning missionary children. She loved the beaches of Mexico and especially enjoyed their pilgrimage to the Holy Land where they were able to walk where Jesus walked and ride camels in Egypt. Her life was not always easy.
A son, Rod, had kidney problems in his pre-teen years, and she took him to UCLA medical Center for an exploratory procedure that kept her and Rod in California for several months. Fortunately her parents were living in Los Angeles at the time and were a tremendous help to her. Her fourth baby, Tricia Lynn, died shortly after her birth and was buried before Mom was able to hold her.
That occurance left a hole in Mom’s heart her entire life. We were able to take many trips to the Salt Lake City Cemetery to leave flowers on Tricia’s grave and contemplate being able to get to know her in the hereafter. We rejoice to know that they are now reunited.
Her other daughter, Cydney, was in a terrible automobile accident when she was 15 years old, and mom stood watch over her broken body while she lay unconscious for 9 weeks, then several months of healing and therapy that followed. As Mom’s health declined it became more difficult to deal with the circular stairway that led to her second floor bedroom. She commented often that she would rather deal with the stairs than lose the beautiful view of Mt.
Olympus seen through the windows in her room. Just recently mom realized that her temple recommend had expired and arranged to visit with her church leaders to obtain a new one so if her health improved enough to again return to the temple she could. She never made it back but took great comfort in the fact she had a current recommend.
Mom is survived by her eternal sweetheart, Richard Paul Sorensen; children: Steven Michael (Colleen) Sorensen, Richard Bryan (Alison) Sorensen, Rebecca Pedersen Sorensen, James Walter (Lisa) Sorensen and Cydney Lynette (David) Maisey; three siblings, Gwen Brewer, Mary Jean Wagner Anderson, and Don Whitehead; 23 grandchildren plus 11 spouses; and 32 great-grandchildren, all of whom she loved and adored. Mom was preceded in death by her parents, Walter and Bessie Whitehead; brother, Walter Williams Whitehead; son, Rodney Stuart Sorensen; and daughter, Tricia Lynn Sorensen. She had some health issues during her life that caused constant physical pain, but through it all mom persevered and did an amazing job of keeping her entire extended family together.
Many thanks to our dad who kept the house clean, grocery shopped, cooked and chauffeured mom these past couple of years so she could live in their home and enjoy the familiar surroundings in which they live. He has done a great job! Also thanks to Inspiration Hospice and especially Elizabeth who visited mom daily towards the end of her life to paint her nails, care for her needs and just be her friend.
Funeral services will be on Saturday, May 4, 2019, at 11:00 a.m. at the Cottonwood 16th Ward, located at 1750 East Spring Lane, Salt Lake City. Viewings will be held at the church on Friday, May 3, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. and on Saturday, May 4, from 9:30-10:45 a.m. Interment: Holladay Memorial Park. To send flowers to the family of Patricia Whitehead Sorensen, please visit Tribute Store.
Events May3 Visitation Friday, May 03, 2019 6:00PM – 8:00PM Cottonwood 16th Ward 1750 East Spring Lane Salt Lake City, UT, Utah 84117 Get directions View MapTextEmail Order flowers for Patricia’s Visitation. Guaranteed delivery before Patricia’s Visitation begins. May4 Visitation Saturday, May 04, 2019 9:30AM – 10:45AM Cottonwood 16th Ward 1750 East Spring Lane Salt Lake City, UT, Utah 84117 Get directions View MapTextEmail Order flowers for Patricia’s Visitation.
Guaranteed delivery before Patricia’s Visitation begins. May4 funeral service Saturday, May 04, 2019 11:00AM – 12:00PM Cottonwood 16th Ward 1750 East Spring Lane Salt Lake City, UT, Utah 84117 Get directions View MapTextEmail Order flowers for Patricia’s funeral service. Guaranteed delivery before Patricia’s funeral service begins.
If you found any mistakes, or you would like to add/remove to this obituary, please contact us by email: info@obituary.memorial. We never ask money for this.
