Flemming Sorensen

Flemming Sorensen of Seattle, WA was born in Skivholme, Denmark on December 4, 1930, to Gunnar and Mary Sørensen. Flemming passed away peacefully with family at his side in Issaquah, WA on July 25, 2022. Beloved husband for over 60 years of Lexie Anciaux, father of son Peder Troy of Seattle and daughter Tove-Lise Sorensen of Bellevue. He was one of 14 children and is only survived by sister Karen (98) and brother Bent (73), both living in Denmark. Flemming learned the carpentry trade from his father and at Galten Technical School in Denmark. In April 1955, he left with an older brother Leo on a “2 year” journey to Canada starting with $50 and very limited English skills. Initially he worked at Gunner Uranium Mines in Northwest Territories before heading to work in “warmer” Toronto, ON. Once he was 26 and free from Selective Services duties that he felt were redundant to the 18 months he had already served in the Danish Army Engineering Corps, he moved to New Jersey before heading to Seattle. When the brothers returned to Denmark for Christmas 1959, their father greeted them with “now you’re staying home, right” and Flemming answered, “Leo is”. After returning to Seattle in 1960, Flemming co-started Haga, Marquette & Sorensen that in 1963 became Flemming Sorensen Construction for the next 35 years. The high quality craftmanship of Flemming and his team became highly sought out for residential projects by many prominent architects including Ralph Anderson, Jim Olson, Omer Mithun, and George Suyama. Often, he was trusted to build their own residences. Over the years Flemming built his dream round cabin on Orcas Island, a family house in Bellevue, a “retirement house” in Clyde Hill, before, at age 79, fulfilling his personal goal of building his own waterfront home in Magnolia. Besides working with wood, his passions later in life were playing soccer, learning to play golf (hole-in-one in 1996), yardwork and traveling to many places including favorites such as Galapagos Islands, Namibia, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, China, Tibet, Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, Peru, Fiji, Churchill Bay and most of the US and Canada. Although never playing soccer as a child, in 1977 as a 46-year-old, he became an early member of the Seattle Danes Soccer Club and played his last game on Over-50’s at 72 years old. He was Treasurer for over 25 years. Besides proudly defending against Alan Hinton on the field, his favorite part was the comradery of the third halves with teammates and opponents. He was also an active member over the years of several local Danish/Scandinavian organizations including the Danish Brotherhood in America Lodge 29 for 63 years (2 as President), NW Danish Association member and volunteer, founding member of both Danelag Danish Folk Dancing Group and Seattle Danish Club, a supporter of the Nordic Museum in Ballard and Rebild National Park Society. After he retired from housebuilding and soccer, he became a member of the Ducks Golf Association for over a dozen years and regularly enjoyed playing golf with friends until his final days. He loved to lift his glass often and declare “SKAAL og skid` vær` med det!” (“SKAAL and to hell with it”) and taught many around the world to say that phrase.

In lieu of flowers, remembrances are suggested to National Nordic Museum in Ballard or Cougar Mountain Zoo in Issaquah.

A Celebration of Life Event will be scheduled later.

If interested, please contact Troy_Sorensen@msn.com for details. Æret være hans minde! (Honor be his memory)

To share your condolences and memories of Flemming with his Family and Friends, please visit his Tribute Wall, located above.

- Care Entrusted to Emmick Family Funeral Home -

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