- Tremonton-Garland Police Sgt. Lee Sorensen, killed Aug. 17, remembered as selfless at funeral.
- Gov. Spencer Cox, colleagues and family praised Sorensen's service, courage and community impact.
- A procession went from Logan to Tremonton for a private burial.
LOGAN — If there was one thing to know about his brother, Will Sorensen says it's that he was a "friend to all that knew him."
"You'll never find a kinder, (more) loving person than Lee," he said.
Tremonton-Garland Police Sgt. Lee Daniels Sorensen was remembered as a loyal friend, a selfless leader and a man of the community during a funeral on Friday at the Spectrum in Logan.
Sorensen, 56, was a lifelong resident of Garland, a city where everyone knew him — or at least knew someone who knew him. He recently graduated from Utah State University with a bachelor's degree in agriculture.
Sorensen and fellow Tremonton-Garland police officer Eric Estrada were shot and killed on Aug. 17 while responding to a domestic violence call. Police officers from across the state and country attended in uniform to support their fallen brothers. A funeral was held for Estrada on Thursday.
Sorensen leaves behind his wife, Lanette, who marked their 31st anniversary without him the day after his death. While reading Sorensen's obituary, Tremonton Lt. Skyler Gailey said Lee Sorensen was recently telling him how excited he was to celebrate his anniversary with his love. The Sorensens are the parents of three children: Lacee, Landon and Analise.
"Lee was a peacemaker. ... He kept everybody together when we were doing the fighting. In his career as a law enforcement officer, I know that carried over," Will Sorensen said. He added that his brother was also incredibly patient and had an "incredible trait" where he could help talk anyone through hard things.
Sorensen said he believes his brother is in a better place now and "gets to play with Analise," his daughter who died when she was young. He spoke about how much love his brother had for his family, including his nieces and nephews. A group of cousins, nieces and nephews all sang "I Am a Child of God," during Friday's ceremony.
Longtime friend Kirk Larsen opened the funeral with a speech, saying he hoped he could "do justice to the life that Lee lived." Larsen said Sorensen was "a fountain of knowledge" who loved serving his family and community.
Larsen recalled a time when, during a cold winter night, Sorensen came across a man living out of his car who had run out gas. Sorensen helped the man, paid for gas in his car so he could make it to the Ogden homeless shelter. Larsen shared how he was surprised to learn Sorensen paid for the gas out of his own money.
"He didn't do it for publicity or recognition — he did it because it was the right thing to do, and he was acting as Christ would," Larsen said. "Lee lives, and we will meet again, of that I am sure. Until then, I will miss you, my friend."
A selfless leader
Sorensen became an officer for Garland 16 years ago and loved teaching others as an emergency medical services instructor and a field training officer. He also became the medical examiner investigator in Box Elder County, which gave him the opportunity to interact with many other agencies in the state.
Tremonton police officer Colton Buckley said Sorensen was "the best example of what an officer is." He helped his team not just grow in law enforcement, but also to grow in life.
Although Buckley and Sorensen butted heads when they first met, "all this head-butting eventually developed in a communication style only the two of us could understand."
They became close friends, he said, and Sorensen was the first person outside of immediate family whom Buckley told when his wife became pregnant. He said Sorensen helped him through the soon-to-be-father nerves and was one of the first people to bring a gift to them once the baby was born.
Buckley also shared how Sorensen didn't like to be called "sir" or "boss," so he and his squad would often use that to mess with him. One time, Buckley and the other officers drew all over Sorensen's car, labeling him a supervisor. The officers fled the scene, but shortly thereafter got a text from Sorensen jokingly letting them know they were all fired for defacing police property.
Buckley said Sorensen more than deserved his recent promotion to sergeant, even though he was too humble to brag about it.
"He was my sergeant. ... I loved working with him and for him. Love you, Dad," Buckley said.
Officer Grayson Jackson also spoke, emphasizing how Sorensen wore many hats in life, and wore each one with honor, pride and compassion. Sorensen was "always willing to step in to serve, to support and to love" and "never just carried a title; he lived it fully with his whole heart."
Jackson recalled a time, back in July, when Sorensen could see he was having a rough day and told him to go be with his family.
"He understood what mattered most and reminded us to never lose sight of it," Jackson said, adding that Sorensen was always "showing up, checking in and making sure the people he cared about were OK in their time of need."
Jackson said he knows Sorensen would want everyone to take care of each other, hold your loved ones close, and not forget to laugh along the way.
A cornerstone of the community
"Lee was more than just an officer in our department; he was a cornerstone," Tremonton-Garland Police Chief Dustin Cordova said. "He embodied the best of what it means to wear this badge: courage, integrity and compassion."
Cordova said Sorensen was sharp-witted, thoughtful, always prepared and never afraid to speak up for those around him.
"Behind the humor, Lee had a gift. He could teach, he could connect and he could inspire. He brought people together with laughter, but he left them with wisdom — that is a rare and powerful combination," Cordova said.
When the darkest hour hits, police officers are the light in the darkness and the protectors of the innocent, Cordova said. "We are the ones who run toward danger, like Lee did. He sacrificed himself to protect an innocent life that night, and he will forever be our hero. His bravery is not just a memory; it is a torch passed to us," the chief said.
Family members talked of how Sorensen loved the Box Elder County Fair, especially the parade. They said Sorensen enjoyed working with the youth in the community, and his favorite event was the Special Olympics Torch Run, which he looked forward to every year.
Gov. Spencer Cox shared how he has learned so much from Lanette and Lee Sorensen, whose lives were filled by selfless service.
"I'd like to think that if this funeral had happened 40 years from now, it would've looked a lot like this, because he had given his life in service every single day to making us all better people," the governor said.
When Cox arrived at the Office of the Utah Medical Examiner after Sorensen's death, he was struck by how sad the workers were. That's when he learned how Sorensen was connected to the office and that these were his colleagues who had to investigate his death.
Then Sorensen family came in, and he was moved by how strong Lanette Sorensen was, comforting everyone else in the room, even though it was her first anniversary without her husband.
The governor spoke about the Box Elder County Fair and how special it is to people who live there. Among the typical joy and celebration the event brings, this year, there was a full week of "community mourning" for Sorensen and Estrada.
Sorensen was a true man of the community, serving and loving everyone he interacted with, Cox said. The governor expressed gratitude knowing Utah is filled with police officers who "represent the very best of us," by putting their lives on the line every day to protect others.
After the service, a large police procession escorted his casket from Logan to Tremonton, where the casket was transferred to a horse-drawn carriage that carried him to the East Garland Cemetery for a private, family burial ceremony.
Approximately 1,200 students from Mount Logan Middle School and Adams Elementary lined the street as the procession went past, spanning almost three city blocks, according to a statement from Logan City School District.
"Today we witnessed hope in the midst of a solemn occasion," the statement said.
Box Elder School District canceled classes on Thursday and Friday so community members could attend the funerals. Fellow police agencies and fire departments collaborated to ensure work shifts were covered, allowing all Box Elder County first responders could attend the funerals.
An online fundraiser* was created for the Sorensen family.
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