Richard Bowers Sorensen (61) passed away November 4th, 2020 of a brain hemorrhage. Richard was born to Ray and Betty Sorensen in Santa Monica California. The 4th of 5 kids, growing up he was active with his Churches’ youth group and enjoyed many outdoor activities such as camping, boating, and skiing. Growing up so close to the beach, he also spent many days before or after school surfing with his group of close friends. This group of friends, nicknamed the Rhinos, although separated by distance, would stay in contact his whole life. Along with his family he would spend time every summer visiting his cousins in southern Utah where he would ride horses, once even participating in a mutton busting competition in the Orderville rodeo. 

Richard would graduate from Santa Monica High School. After high school he left Santa Monica to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Raleigh North Carolina for 2 years. He would learn many life lessons while on his mission that would help him throughout the rest of his life. 

Upon returning from his church mission, he would attend Santa Monica Community College for one year as he saved up money to attend Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. While doing his undergraduate at BYU he decided to go into finance. He was accepted to the Marriott School of Business at BYU. He played volleyball for the schools club team. While working on his degree he met his sweetheart, and lifelong partner, Lisa Jeannette Maybin. After dating for a year, they were married in the Los Angles Temple. While living in the basement of his childhood home, which he and his dad Ray dug out during his teenage years, he got the opportunity to work as a security guard for the 1984 Summer Olympics. One of Richards favorite stories to tell were the two times he ran the LA marathon. 

Upon graduation from BYU, he interned at a financial institution in Southern California. He soon met Matthew Mack, his business partner of 35 years. They would go on to start Estate Strategies in Westlake Village California. By the time of his death he had become well known for his knowledge and expertise in tax and estate planning. Much of the work that he did involved charitable gift giving. He considered his clients to be family.  

He and Lisa settled down in Ventura County California where they raised their 3 kids. He was very active in his children’s lives including coaching little league for many years. He looked forward to his family’s annual Lake Powell trip as well as snow skiing and riding motorcycles and four wheelers in the southern Utah desert. Richard was active in his church his whole life, serving in various callings many involving the youth and Boy Scouts of America. 

Richard loved his family profoundly and worked hard his whole life to be the provider and protector to make sure that all his loved ones needs were met. He cherished becoming a grandfather and loved his grandsons dearly and they loved their “Papa”.     

Richard was proceed in death by his parents Ray and Betty Sorensen, and his sister Lynette Rife. He was survived by his wife, Lisa, his children, Andrew (Alex), Julianna (Jordan), Aaron, his grandsons, Ryder, Crew, Maddox, Brigham, and his siblings Que (Darleen), Scott (Arturo), Julie (Valerie). 

A graveside service will be held at the Orderville cemetery on Saturday November 14th, at 11am. A celebration of life will be held at the Thousand Oaks Stake Center 1600 Erbes Rd, Thousand Oaks California, 91361. 

In lieu of flowers please make donations to Mothers Without Boarders in the name of Richard and Lisa Sorensen at motherswithoutboarders.org/donate 

Livestream link for below is https://vimeo.com/event/363680