distinguished Alumni
Verla Sorensen
Snow Colle
2011
Verl a Sorensen
Distinguished Alumnus
W
Verla and her husband have certainly been involved in many positive
smile. Verla grew up in Sanpete County, and Snow College has always
experiences with business, education, and family. David had many
been important to her. A lifelong supporter of Snow College, Verla is
business opportunities that made returning to college impractical
a 2011 recipient of the Snow College Distinguished Alumnus Award.
for him, but the Sorensens have always placed education as a high
She will be honored during Snow College’s Homecoming activities on
priority. David was the founder and president of the South Pasadena
November 5.
Education Foundation, and Verla served as a board member of the
South Pasadena School Board in the community where most of their
hen you ask her about Snow College, Verla Sorensen can’t help but
14
Verla Anderson Sorensen, born May 30, 1933, the daughter of
Leslie James and Iris Denison Anderson, grew up in nearby Manti,
children grew up. Verla supported her husband as he worked for a
Utah, where she attended Manti High School and worked at Elliott’s
health-care company in Southern California, developed long-term
Pharmacy to support herself while attending Snow College from
care and psychiatric hospitals for the developmentally disabled,
1951-1953. She would sometimes have to “thumb a ride” with any
expanded the family ranch into a successful agri-business, and or-
kind passersby to get back to Manti after attending classes. “I felt like
ganized a bank in Las Vegas, where the family would live for a time.
a big fish in a little pond when I was at Snow College. When I left
The Sorensens have also donated their time through service in the
and went to the university, I felt like a little fish in a big pond. Snow
LDS Church; they served in the Canada Halifax Mission from 1985-
College is really dear to my heart. I loved it there.”
1988, where David was the mission president.
After graduating from Snow College in 1953, Verla graduated from
Verla and David are among Snow College’s most generous
BYU with membership in Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society and specialized in
donors. To date, they have given nearly $1 million of personal funds.
teaching reading skills. She has taught in Hawaii and was teaching school in
When space in the Washburn Building on the Richfield campus was
Midvale, Utah when she met her husband, David E. Sorensen.
needed to accommodate the needs of its nursing and science lab
students, the Sorensens were there to extend their generosity. A new,
David Sorensen was born June 29, 1933, in Aurora, Utah, one
of eight children, and is no stranger to long hours of hard work. The
state-of-the-art laboratory was created in space previously used by
Sorensen family had a ranch that taught David to be disciplined and
another program, allowing Richfield campus science and nursing
allowed him to develop a work ethic that would lead to many future
students to remain in Richfield for their science lab, rather than hav-
successes. After serving a mission for the LDS church from 1954-1956,
ing to travel one hour to the Ephraim campus. The Sorensens have
David enlisted in the army and became acquainted with Al Ludlow.
also made it possible for the Richfield campus to hire three general
It was because of Al that David and Verla would eventually meet. Al
education teachers in math, English, and science.
happened to be engaged to Gwen Chase, Verla’s former roommate at
BYU, and met Verla when the two friends got together in Salt Lake
of its alumni. The Sorensens’ philosophy of placing education first,
City. The next day, Al had an opportunity to visit David at his fam-
along with their lifelong commitment to hard work, have enabled
ily ranch in Aurora. After being unsuccessful in finding David, Al
them to provide financial gifts that have gone a long way to help
informed David’s mother that he had found David’s future bride, and
other students feel like “big fish in a little pond.”
that David should go meet Verla right away. David took Al’s advice,
went to visit Verla in Salt Lake, and enrolled at the University of Utah.
Gregory, John Leslie, Sheila, Kristen, Paul James, and Kathryn), 35
They were married December 29, 1958, in the Manti LDS Temple.
grandchildren, and 5 great-grandchildren.
fall / WINTER 2011
Snow College is very fortunate to have Verla Sorensen as one
David and Verla have seven children (David Stephen, Alma SC