Beverly Jean Sorensen
Beverly was born in Pontiac, Michigan, on October 26, 1935, to Agnes VanderWerven Balmer and Melvin Balmer. The new family went on to reside in Waterford, Michigan, in their own home which was handcrafted for them by Melvin’s woodworking skills and included a well-used wooden swing bench with an A-frame in the back yard. The family was kept warm and comfortable during the frosty winter months by using the stove in the basement next to the coal shoot. Beverly became a wonderful big sister and helped her mother to care for both of her younger siblings, brother Ronald Gus and sister Terri Lynn. As a teenager her attentive baby-sitting skills were often sought after by the neighbors. During her time at Waterford Township High School, she met her future husband, Donald Huemiller. Shortly after graduating, they were married and started a family of their own with the birth of a son, Cris Donald, and daughter Bonnie Ann. Beverly was now a loving wife, resolute mother, and efficient Data Processing Supervisor for the Computer Control Corporation.
After the children were grown and the home seemed empty, Beverly was fortunate and she met the true love of her life, Carl Christian Sorensen. They were married and settled in Carl’s home state of California where they expanded their family to welcome Carl’s sweet daughter Kelley Sue. They settled in Fullerton, California, close to Beverly’s new job within the music division of Yamaha Corporation in Buena Park. Carl was employed as a Large Fleet Truck Sales Manager for General Motors Corporation. Carl’s valuable business skills were in demand which resulted in GM transferring Carl and Beverly to other states. These transfers moved them from living in California, to Beverly’s hometown of Waterford, this time in a beautiful lakefront home which availed them to enjoy plenty of boating and fishing activities. From there they were transferred to North Carolina, Northern California, and finally back to Southern California, where they purchased a house in Santa Ana.
During this time, the families were once again expanding, and Carl and Beverly were blessed with Married Adult Children, eight Grandchildren, and three Great Grandchildren.
Sadly, Carl passed away far too soon. Beverly pressed on with life and celebrated the important milestones and activities of her Grandchildren. She volunteered many hours at both the Orange Senior Center and Tustin Area Women’s Club. At the Club, she loved helping with the Annual Charity Fashion Show which helped to provide funding for young College bound students. At the Center she led the Triple Deck Pinnacle Card Games and was known for being a formidable opponent.
She enjoyed living her later years at Freedom Village in Lake Forest where she spent many hours helping her newfound friends to put together some incredibly challenging puzzles. She will be dearly missed, and her surviving family wants to thank all the kind and generous souls who helped her to be comfortable in her final days.
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Beverly was my sister in law since she married my brother Carl in 1976. She was also my friend. We became extra close after the passing of my brother and out of state marriage of our daughter in 2002.
Beverly’s sister, brother and best friend lived out of State so I was her closest family/friend besides her daughter and grandchildren that lived in CA. We became extra close after the passing of my brother Ron and the moving of our sister in law Sylvia.
Bev was both a Mother, Sister and Friend to me. I miss her deeply. She was my buddy when our Coldwell Banker office merged with the Tustin Office – we would toodle around town and loved to visit Starbucks or go out to lunch. I often brought my brown bag to her house when I had extended days at the Office. Then, we couldn’t be as “close” after I retired in 2014 and she moved to Freedom Village in Mission Viejo. But we stayed in touch multiple times a week and saw each other weekly after I had three eye surgeries.
Beverly taught me to be stronger than I was, taught me to “take care of myself”, and taught me to “let go”.
This is leaving a big vacancy, but I know she is with Jesus and Heaven is the location of “the big connection” with my ancestors and dear friends in Christ. I am so happy she was Baptized Lutheran as was I. The connection is immense.
Bev was my BFF ! I am so lost without being able to hear her voice and not being able to have our daily phone calls. She gave me emotional support, gave me laughter and joy. She taught me so much! I am still trying to accept not being able to call her when I need her for a laugh, a shoulder to cry on, her wisdom. We spent hours, almost everyday, talking about everything. Often we had questions about different things, so we would spend hours with me on google learning so many different things ! It was wonderful having her as my confident and best friend ever! The significance of our relationship is immeasurable! I’d do anything to take you back for just one further second, for one more memory. I’m missing you so much. Bev’s death has caused me to cry uncontrollably. However, weeping for all eternity would not adequately express the depths of my grief. It feels terrible to say goodbye so quickly. Then instead, I’d rather say ‘I love you,’ knowing you’re always with me. It will be hard, but until we are united again in Heaven, I’ll have Bev, my Angel looking over me. I will use the “Hug” heart pillow you gave me, so when you went to Heaven, I could get a hug from you whenever I needed you. There is nothing more memorable than the sound of such a friend’s laughter. May it silence the voice of my sobs. I will love you and miss you Bev…….. Until we meet again
Bev was my very best friend that I loved so very much. She was such a special person. I am lost without her. Until we meet again, I will always miss her and the void her passing left in my life . She made me laugh, and she was always there to help me figure things out, listen to me when I was upset, and cheer me up when I was down. She was my my confidant, my teacher, my strength.
We met back in the in the late 1980’s, but we never bonded forever until 2007 when she came back to Michigan for surgery. She stayed with me for a few weeks and we became so close. After that , Bev would come and stay with me every year or two and I just cherished seeing her and us running around together.
I still laugh remembering this: I was driving and missed where we needed to turn. Bev said ” do a u-turn”, I’m like is that legal in California? She said “If you don’t get caught” !
It got to where Bev couldn’t physically make the trip to Michigan anymore. I was hoping to go visit her, and then the Covid pandemic broke out and prevented me from flying. My boyfriend of 20 years was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis and given two years maximum to survive.
So Bev and I talked on the phone almost everyday. We went over her menus at Freedom Village together. There were things on the menu she nor I had ever heard of, so I would Google it. One time it was flourless cake. She tried it, so I made it, it was so rich and delicious!
Bev and I spent so much time on the phone with me using Google to learn things! One time she asked ” why is the moon coming up in the western sky?” I thought she was crazy lol . I looked outside and it was in the west after sunset! I googled it and found out it was a waxing crescent moon. It’s after a full/ new moon and appears to be rising. We couldn’t believe that we had never noticed that in our lifetimes before!
Even though we couldn’t see each other, we spent so much time together on the phone. We couldn’t believe how the talks became hours long! We would shop
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