Gretchen Hartley Valour Sorenson

Gretchen Hartley Valour Sorenson of Fountain Hills was born on Dec. 3, 1935 in Muncie, Ind. to J. Ross and Lois K. (Reed) Hartley.

She attended the University of Colorado, where she was a member of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. Upon graduation in 1957, she began her elementary school teaching career. She taught in Gloucester, Mass., Muncie, Ind., Park Forest, Ill. and Scottsdale, Ariz. teaching both elementary art and fifth grade.

In 1967 she was awarded the JC “Teacher of the Year” Award in Park Forest. She has a master’s in education from Arizona State University.

Gretchen is survived by her husband of 28 years, George Sorenson of Fountain Hills; a daughter, Virginia Valour Erbes, or Folsom, Calif.; three grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and a step-daughter, Tamara (Teak) Sorenson of Fountain Hills.

She is also survived by a sister, Rebecca Poole of Colorado Springs, Colo. and a brother, Jim Hartley of Phoenix.

Gretchen was a member of the Trinity Lutheran Church (Missouri Synod) of Fountain Hills. She lived for several years in the Alzheimer’s unit at Fountain View Village, and has been in the Silverado Home in Scottsdale since 2010.

Services will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 26 at Trinity Lutheran Church, 13770 N. Fountain Hills Blvd., Fountain Hills, 85268.

Messinger Fountain Hills Mortuary is handling arrangements.