Jonathan Don Sorensen

The mothership must have come and the rest of us missed it! Jonathan Don Sorensen, age 60, beloved father, cherished son, one-of-a-kind friend, larger-than-life character, and self-proclaimed Wonderjunkie, passed away on May 15, 2021, in Mesquite, Nevada. He was born in Logan, Utah, on May 19, 1960, to Alma Don and Necia Lee Sorensen. He was the oldest of six children. He attended schools in Bloomington, Indiana, and Spanish Fork, Utah, where he graduated from high school with the class of 1978. He lived in Utah’s Uintah Basin for about 30 years, starting in Vernal, then Roosevelt, with a short time spent at Ft. Duchesne. He was living in Caldwell, Idaho, at the time of his passing.

He married Elaine Swenson in 1981 and two children were born to that union: Miranda and Jared. They later divorced. He married Cheryl Winn in 1987 and they had three children together: Benjamin, Garrett, and Andrew. He also raised Cheryl’s two children from her first marriage: Tracy and Nicole. Jonathan and Cheryl also later divorced.

J, as his Sorensen clan called him, drove truck as a career. He worked for Meadow Gold in Vernal for years and later hauled mail for the US Postal Service. During his trucking years, he took a keen interest in ham radio and used it to communicate with people around the globe. He had great stories about repossessing cars for a stint and working different odd jobs that piqued his interest. He loved people, humor, and thrived on finding hilarity in the ironies of life. There were no strangers to him; they were just friends whom he hadn’t talked to yet. And he could talk!!! He took in many friends and family members throughout his life when someone needed support or a place to be.

Jonathan never grew tired of expanding his knowledge. He often quoted Monty Python and took in a lot of documentaries and crime shows. He loved some good shenanigans and was a master prankster. He greatly enjoyed music of all genres, bright colors, and he rocked tie-dye better than most! He shared inside jokes with just about everyone in his life. He delighted in the wonders of nature such as rainbows, rocks, moon phases, stars, mysticism, and cicadas. The paramount experience of his life was attending the 2017 total solar eclipse with his daughter Miranda, her husband Darren, their band of rapscallions (Grandpa’s term of endearment for Ryan, Zac, Adam, and Benny), and some of his Idaho friends. One of the greatest wonders ofthe world, the Grand Canyon, was his favorite spot on Earth.

We will all miss him dearly!

Jonathan was preceded in death by his father, who passed away in January. He is survived by his mother; his children and their spouses; his grandchildren; his siblings: Dave (Susie), Matthew, Kate (Mark) Allen, Cynthia Hunter, and Ruthie Sorensen; numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews; and friends worldwide. A special thank you to his dear friend, Sherry, for loving and caring for him in recent years.

A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, July 17, 10 a.m., at Sugarhouse Park in Salt Lake City at the Hidden Grove Pavilion. A map can be found at https://www.sugarhousepark.org/new-index. Please wear tie-dye or bright colors in his honor, and bring a Jonathan story to share. As per his wishes, Jonathan was cremated.

In lieu of flowers, please donate in Jonathan’s name to a reputable charity either for the homeless or for those in addiction recovery. Share a smile with a stranger, too. Vaya con Dios, Dad. Now you have answers to all of the questions that haven’t been asked yet. As one of your dear friends recently wrote, “We love you, we miss you, and we apologize for a poor attempt to speak on your level.”