Leonora "Nonie" Sorensen

1925-2024

St. George, Utah

Leonora “Nonie” Nelson Sorensen passed from this life on Monday, April 29, 2024, in St. George, Utah, surrounded by family members.

Nonie was born on February 3, 1925, in Salt Lake City, Utah, the eldest child of Nora Morris Cannon and Joseph Smith Nelson. Despite growing up in the Depression, her childhood memories were of happy times with siblings, neighbors, and cousins. Her father loved to sing, and her mother filled their home with classical music. She was Nonie’s only piano teacher until she graduated from East High School and enrolled at the University of Utah.

There Nonie studied modern dance and music and was active in the Chi Omega sorority, where she made lifelong friendships. She taught dance at the U after graduating. She also served on the Young Women General Board for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where she used her artistic talent and leadership ability in choreographing dance festivals and June Conferences. Years later in the 1970s, she served for a second time on the YW General Board.

She married Maynard Melville Sorensen on December 22, 1949, in the Salt Lake Temple. Together they raised eleven children. Church activity, fun, music, and adventure were essential elements of their family life. At their home in East Millcreek, Nonie’s love of literature, art, poetry, history, and music showed up in bedtime routines and family home evenings. As her children grew, she became involved in youth roadshows, and thereby discovered a gift for songwriting. With her sisters she began to dramatize stories from Church history, including those of her own beloved ancestors. She went on to create over twenty reader’s theater pieces with original music. These were performed throughout Utah, a service which helped many to deepen their appreciation for the sacrifices of early Church pioneers.

This work led to a mission call in 1988 to Nauvoo, Illinois, which lasted for 15 years, until 2002. With Maynard’s enthusiastic companionship, Nonie created performances that told the story of Nauvoo and the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. They initiated the Young Performing Missionary program and loved each of the young people who served with them. They also enjoyed a rich association with hundreds of senior missionaries over those years.

Nonie traveled with Maynard to Africa, South America, Europe, and all over North America. In 1993 they moved to Ivins, Utah, where they continued to serve their community through music, in Special Needs Mutual, and in the Southern Utah Veterans Home Branch. Nonie loved to read and participate in book group. She knitted and crocheted and gave away hundreds of baby blankets and colorful winter beanies. She hosted friends old and new to dinner at her home. And nothing exceeded her pleasure at having her children and grandchildren come for extended stays, where she would provide cookie fairy visits, competitive games of Pit, and visits to Snow Canyon and Zion National Park. She appreciated the natural beauty of the earth and openly expressed wonder over God’s creation as her grandchildren had fun in the outdoors. How she adored these grandchildren! She encouraged them in their talents and interests and was insatiably curious about their individual journeys as they discovered their pathways in life.

Despite declining health and mobility through her tenth decade of life, Nonie bore her trials courageously, especially the loss of her lifelong companion, Maynard, just over six months ago. At 99 years old she retained a sense of wonder and interest in the people and the world around her, and there is no doubt that her return to her heavenly home was filled with joy.

Nonie was preceded in death by husband Maynard, son Kent, great-grandson Chet Jensen, sisters Marian and Judith, and brother Fielding Nelson. She is survived by her children: Ramona Stirling (Don Hales), Scott (Pat), Janette (Stephen Marshall), daughter-in-law Julie (Kent, deceased), Howard (Lisa), Barbara (Bradly Cahoon), Cynthia (Eric Collier), Georgia (Mark Anderson), Douglas (Elizabeth), Daniel (Jana), Victor (Jeanna) 58 grandchildren, and an ever-increasing number of great-grandchildren. The family is deeply grateful to the staff at The Retreat at Sunbrook and Applegate HomeCare & Hospice for their loving support of both Nonie and Maynard in their final years.

Funeral services will be held in Salt Lake City on Saturday, May 18, 2024, 11:00 am, at the East Millcreek Second Ward, 3750 S. Hillside Lane, Millcreek, Utah, 84109. A visitation will be held beforehand at 9:30 am, with a family prayer at 10:30 am. Live streaming of the service can be accessed at http://emc2nd.com. Interment will be at Wasatch Lawn Cemetery following the service.