KEITH GILBERT SORENSEN Obituary (1951

Keith Sorensen, beloved husband, father, and grandfather, passed away the morning of December 17th, 2025, at the age of 74, in the loving embrace of his wife and daughter. Born in Plentywood, Montana, on July 15th, 1951, to Ethel and Gilbert Sorensen, he grew up on his family’s farm in Dagmar, Montana, and graduated from Antelope High School. He went on to earn two associate’s degrees, one in business and one in law enforcement. He met the love of his life, Nicki, while in high school. At the time of his death, they had been married for just over 52 years. They got married on June 3rd, 1973, and three years later, their daughter, April, was born. Though the highlight of his career was his time as a law enforcement officer, he spent 4 years in the navy, stationed at the Whidbey Island Naval Base. Shortly after his naval service, he began his long career in law enforcement, working in the Island County Sheriff’s Department. When his family moved to Wenatchee, he transferred to the Wenatchee Police Department, where he, eventually, served as the school resource officer and the D.A.R.E. officer, a position he loved to tell his family about while showering them with leftover D.A.R.E. memorabilia. His deep-rooted love of human connection and of helping people led him to win multiple Police Officer of the Year awards. During rodeo season, he enjoyed working as a security officer at the Ellensburg Rodeo. Upon retirement, he and his wife moved to Prosser, Washington, to be closer to their now-adult daughter and her growing family, but he always kept in touch with many of his police buddies. Their annual trips to fish camp, a tradition kept up for over 40 years, were something he always looked forward to. He was a big fan of camping, both with his aforementioned friends and with his family. He never met a stranger; within hours of arrival at a new campground, he knew the best fishing spots, the best hunting spots, and was usually deep in conversation with an old-timer. When he wasn’t watching whatever sport was on T.V. at the moment—including, but not limited to, football, baseball, hockey, cornhole, and ax throwing—he could be found online shopping, acting as the neighborhood’s personal weed-killer, satiating his massive sweet tooth with what his wife lovingly called junk food, or spending time with his family, who he cherished. He also loved woodworking, especially scrollsawing, and always had a project or two in progress. He was preceded in death by his parents, Gilbert and Ethel Sorensen, his sister Lynne, his three brothers, Todd, Kevin, and Corey, and two nephews. He is survived by his wife Nicki, daughter April (Chuck) Wyckoff, three grandchildren, Emily, Clara, and Zachary, all of Prosser, WA, his sister Kathy (Ed) Burnum, of Valdosta, GA, and countless cousins. His loss has been deeply felt, and he will be missed—to know him was to love him. A private service will be held at a later date.