Funeral services for 54-year old Mike Sorensen, a longtime western Nebraska educator and member of the Chadron State College Athletic Hall of Fame are Sat, August 13, 2022, at 2:00 (MT) at the Berean Church in Imperial, NE, with Pastor Matt Maxwell officiating.
Visitation is Friday, August 12, from 3-6:00 (MT) at Liewer Funeral Home in Imperial.
Memorials in Mike’s memory have been suggested to the Sorensen Family for a future designation.
Online condolences may be left at liewerfuneralhome.com
Survivors Include:
Wife: Nancy of Wauneta, NE
Daughter: Bethany Malmkar and husband, Alex, of Grant, NE
Son: Isaac Sorensen of Lincoln, NE
Sister: Michelle George and husband, Tom, of Henderson, NV
A native of Wheatland, Wyo, Michael R Sorensen was born Sept 26, 1967 and passed away Thursday, August 4, 2022, at the Chase County Community Hospital in Imperial.
By Con Marshall
Michael Sorensen, a Chadron State College graduate who was an outstanding football player for the Eagles and a member of the CSC Athletic Hall of Fame, died unexpectedly on Thursday, Aug. 4 at Imperial.
Sorensen had been the principal at Chase County High School at Imperial, but this fall was to become the 7-12 principal at nearby Wauneta-Palisade. He also was to serve as that school’s activities director and boys’ basketball coach.
His wife, the former Nancy Schnell of Alliance, is the elementary school principal of the Perkins County Schools at Grant, NE. She is a CSC graduate herself and was an outstanding volleyball player for the Eagles.
Mike Sorensen was a 3-year starter at offensive right guard for Chadron State 1988-90. The team finished the 1989 and ’90 regular seasons undefeated and advanced to the NAIA playoffs both years.
Mike was placed on the Omaha World-Herald’s NAIA State College All-Star Team both seasons. At the end of the ’90 season, Head Coach Brad Smith was quoted as saying Sorensen may have been the best guard for his size (6-foot, 220 pounds) in the nation.
“He played like a 250-pounder,” Smith said. “What he got done was amazing. He’s been a great worker and a great technician,” also noting that Sorensen had 4.6-second speed in the 40-yard dash.
Sorensen was the principal and a coach at Chase County High School in Imperial from 2006-2015, then went to Grand Island Northwest High School as assistant principal and activities director.
He returned as Chase County 7-12 principal in 2020 when that position opened up at the same time his wife was named principal in nearby Grant.
He stepped down again earlier this year to take the job at Wauneta Palisade.