Dianne Elaine Sorensen

Dianne E. Sorensen, age 76, of Maple Grove, MN, passed away on Thursday, June 18, 2026 at the University of Minnesota Medical Center of Minneapolis. A funeral service will be held on Tuesday, June 23, 2026 at the St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church of Holstein with the Vicar Emily Anderson officiating. Burial will be at the Holstein Cemetery of Holstein. A visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the church.

Dianne was born on February 27, 1950, in Council Bluffs, Iowa, the second of five children to Howard and Dorthy Darrington who farmed near Neola, Iowa. Aftergraduating from Tri-Center High School in 1968, she attended Dana College in Blair,Nebraska and received two Bachelor of Science degrees in Elementary Education andArt. After graduation she taught Kindergarten and Art at Beebeetown Elementary.

In 1976 she met the love of her life, Dr. Dennis Earl Sorensen from Holstein, Iowa. The two were true soulmates and married in 1978. After the wedding, she moved to Sioux City where Dennis owned and operated Morningside Veterinary Hospital. She continued her teaching career in Dakota City, Nebraska for the next thirty years,educating children in 2nd -4th grade.

During those years Dennis and Dianne became the happy parents of two beautiful daughters; Heather Leigh and Crystal Dawn. They were the joy of their parents’ lives. As a family they had many wonderful pets and vacations together. Over the years they traveled most of the United States and visited 30+ countries across six continents.They were active members of Morningside Lutheran Church where Dianne taught Sunday School for twelve years. 

Dianne retired from teaching in 2008, and a few years after, her and Dennis left their home in the Loess Hills of western Iowa and moved to Carmel, California where they had a view overlooking Monterey Bay. During this time, they became grandparents to three amazing granddaughters which prompted their final move to Maple Grove, MN in2022 to be closer to family.

Dianne was a wonderful, loving mother and wife. She always put family first and created a beautiful home and life for those she loved. She cared deeply about her students and had a strong impact on the lives of all she taught. She was a dear friend and will be missed by many.

Dianne is preceded in death by her parents and loving husband Dennis.

She is survived by her daughters Heather (Nikhil) DSouza, Crystal (Sam) Warming and three granddaughters, Amara DSouza and Mya and Eve Warming of Maple Grove, MN. She is also survived by her siblings Colleen Torneten, Arlan, Craig, and Keith Darrington, who reside in SW Iowa.