Elton Nagel Sorensen has departed from this life to begin his next. What an adventure this one was! Born Dec. 7, 1938, and departed June 17, 2019. He began his journey in High Prairie, Washington and ended in Eugene, Oregon. A life well lived.

His younger years were based in Friend, Oregon, in the Dufur School District. He led a rural life with surviving brothers Steve and Ronald Sorensen and sister Velma Limmeroth, and late sister Verna Sorensen. Active in sports Elton was also student body president. He recieved a scholarship to Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon, played more sports (football and track), joined a fraternity (Sigma Phi Epsilon) and experienced serious curriculum challenges. The first of his family to tackle college, he lasted one year.

He returned to his job as a log truck driver on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation. He drove for two years before deciding to try school again with a neighborhood boy hightailing it to Eastern Oregon College in LaGrande, Oregon.

He chose a teaching degree, graduating in three years. He also met and married his wife of 57 years, Jean Gordon. They moved to Eugene, Oregon, where he began a 33-year-plus career. He served as a teacher, vice principal, or principal at Spencer Butte, Cal Young, Kennedy, Churchill and Sheldon. He retired from Oregon then served eight more years as principal at Lopez Island, Washington. Retiring for real, they moved to Mt. Vernon, Washington, before finally returning to Eugene where they’ve lived for the past six-plus years. Parkinson’s Disease joined his final decade, but we were lucky: Deep Brain Stimulation kept him tremor-free and limber.

Elton loved his family (surviving wife Jean and daughters Echo and Elke, and late son Eric), his students, staff and communities, as well as his memories. He loved when former students stopped him and asked if he remembered them – funny thing, he always did.

Swing by the celebration of Elton anytime between 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 3, at Washington Park Community Center, 2025 Washington St., Eugene. Come share/write stories, share some laughs, a few tears. Help us fill up an Elton memory box. Stories in lieu of flowers can be mailed to Jean Sorensen in care of The Springs at Greer Gardens, 1282 Goodpasture Island Road Apt. 257, Eugene, OR 97401.

Please sign the guest book at www.registerguard.com/legacy.