Mogens Sorensen passed away at the age of 76 years on November 11, 2022 in Ridge Meadows Hospital, Maple Ridge, BC. Mogens was born in Horsens, Denmark to parents Gunner and Magny Sorensen on July 11, 1946. In 1964 Mogens had the opportunity to travel with an agency from his hometown in Denmark to promote tourism through film, making his first stop at the New York World Fair, then crossing Canada to Vancouver, where he opted to remain due to unforeseen circumstances. He connected with the Danish Communities where he was able to secure odd jobs until he obtained a work permit in Vancouver.
In 1968 he met the love of his life Violet and they married in 1969. He launched his landscaping business in North Vancouver which gave expression to his creativity through beautifully designed gardens and yards. He also provided snow clearing & salting services to schools and businesses in winter months until the recession when he opened a do-it-yourself garden center in Lynn Valley as well as Christmas trees and poinsettias in winter. Mogens entrepreneurial spirit led him to acquire a commercial building and secure a skidoo snowmobile dealership to start a small engine repair shop in Lynn Valley which provided immigration to his older brother Bent who had a vast mechanical background as an outboard mechanic. During this time, Mogens also purchased a hotdog wagon from Denmark he spotted downtown and hosted Bed & Breakfast with his wife for 6 months during expo ’86. Mogens moved his family to Surrey in 1988 where he was employed by Surrey Memorial Hospital as a Grounds keeping Manager until his retirement.
Mogens was a large personality with a infectious laugh and a great sense of humor. He loved people and opened his home and heart to everyone he met. He loved to travel and visited many countries with his wife and family including his beloved homeland where he enjoyed crisscrossing the country and long conversations. He loved to watch old Western movies where he first cut his teeth on the English language after arriving in Canada. Mogens was a church planter and gave sacrificially to promote the Good News after his conversion to Christianity in 1966. He always had a positive attitude in spite of the economy, hardships, or health challenges he faced towards the end of his life. His final legacy was moving his family to the countryside where they would be together and safe. Unfortunately, he spent little time on the property where he planned to live out his remaining years.
Mogens leaves behind his wife Violet, daughter Michelle, grandchildren Kylee-Lynn Sorensen and Gabriel Madore as well as his brothers Bent (Nanaimo) and Torben (Denmark) and many nieces and nephews. We are fiercely proud of him and all he accomplished. The struggles have ended. Mogens is deeply missed.
A Celebration of his life will be held on Sunday, May 28th 2023 at 2:30 pm.
May 27th, 2023
He Moved Me
I first met Mogens at a Max Solbrekken evangelistic meeting 37 years ago. Mogens came forward for prayer and the Holy Spirit came upon him and he fell backwards to the floor. I was standing behind him as an alter worker and I caught him as he fell.like an oak tree. Strong but surrendered. God moved him and Mogens moved me.
I knew him as a business visionary and landscaper and church elder, but mostly as a friend, warm hearted and engaging..
We would sit for hours in those leather danish recliners shooting the breeze and watching Jimmy Swaggart. Good old boys basking in the good old gospel.
He would recount his business exploits and said that sometimes he would make fifty thousand dollars in a day and sometimes a dollar. Either case was working unto the Lord and his reward was from the Lord.
From the day I met strapping Mogens at the alter till decades later when he was struggling with infirmary and setbacks he did not change. The hand of god upon him only became more apparent.
He was no pushover, but God tamed this wild stallion and with King David could say ‘Thy gentleness has made me great.’
A man after God’s own heart….moved me.
May 14th, 2023
How do you say goodbye to a big brother you've lived more than 4,600 miles away from most of your life?
How do I say goodbye to my big brother, my daughters' uncle, a great man of both stature and mind and a man, that has somehow always been there, even when he was not?
I don’t know, but I will try my best and I will do it on behalf of myself and Mogens' Danish family and friends.
Here in Denmark, we received the news of Mogens’ passing with great sadness. Despite the distance between us, he has always been and will always be present in our minds and hearts.
We all have so many good memories to reminisce, both from his and Violets visits to Denmark over the years and from our trips to Canada.
It was not a given though that I, Mogens' 6-year younger brother, would ever have a relationship with him.
Mogens, myself and our oldest brother, Bent, grew up in the city of Horsens with our mother and father, Magny and Gunnar Sørensen. As a child Mogens spent a lot of time with our grandmother and grandfather, Rasmus, and Johanne Pedersen. They had a farm just outside Horsens, and even at a young age, Mogens found interest in farming, landscaping, and agriculture, and so he helped our grandfather harvest and plow and look after the farm.
School was never really Mogens’ thing, so when he, at the age of 16, was given the opportunity to travel to Canada as a porter for a travel agency, he waved goodbye to Denmark and jumped the airplane. I was only 10 years old, and for the next 15 years, we hardly had any contact at all.
But Mogens was a big family man.
He always remembered my birthday and over the following years I received a business card from him, so I knew what he was up to "over there."
In 1977 I used one of those business cards to track him down and the first thing he said, when I got him on the phone was: “When does your flight land over here?”
Because Mogens was generous.
He didn't just invite me and my former wife, Dorthe, over for at short visit. We stayed there for six months in 1978 and had some amazing and unforgettable moments together.
20 years later, my middle daughter Jeanette and her friend, Henriette, was blessed with the same generosity, as they travelled to Canada and lived with Mogens and Violet for six months as well.
Fortunately, Mogens was the diligent one to visit Denmark, and so we had the pleasure of returning some of his generosity during the many times he travelled back to Denmark.
When he was visiting, there was always laughter and happy days – and countless visits to so many Danish Hotdog stands – his absolute favorite food when in Denmark. We had countless discussions late into the night, and we experienced Denmark anew, because Mogens wanted to pass his love for Denmark to Violet, Michelle, Kylee, and Gabe.
Mogens was generous. And curious about life and the people he met. He was a big man, both in stature and mind.
He was also an amazing big brother to me, an unforgettable uncle to my three daughters, and a good friend to so many others.
Our lives would have been poorer if he hadn't been in it.
Mogens granted us with so many good memories and experiences. I thank him for always being there as a brother to me, an uncle to my daughters and for unifying our Canadian and Danish families.
He will forever be in our hearts.
Love,
Torben - on behalf of Mogens’ family and friends in Denmark, including Connie, Kate, Jeanette, Maria, Dorthe, Henriette, Rasmus and Tonny.
May 6th, 2023
Condolences to my cousin Violet and Michelle and family.
Mogens was one of those guys that made room in his heart for me as well. Myself, a new immigrant to Canada in 1976, Mogens and Violet were the first Canadians to receive me. Obviously himself an immigrant, he understood my process of adaptation to a new life in this country.
Mogens always made me feel at home in their place.
May he now rest in peace.
May 2nd, 2023
Mogens was a gentleman and a man of God. I fondly remember him when Ralph, Violet and Mogens and I shared quality time together, always a discussion of heritage and where both men grew up and their memories. He will be remembered always.
May 2nd, 2023
Mogens:
A tall handsome, insightful and godly man. He was a keen provider and lover of family. Of all his good characteristics, his faithfulness and trust in God stood out. He was steady. If he was ever tentative , I never saw it.
The Lord will bless and keep his memory and his family in Jesus’ name. “Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.” (Luke 7:50b)
May 2nd, 2023
Mogens was one of the most authentic people I know -
He loved God and loved people,
He loved his family,
He was non-judgemental,
He was a great conversationalist,
He was a great host and “given to hospitality”,
He was a man of prayer and faith,
He had the gift of making you feel loved and heard,
He was always willing to lend a hand or share his wealth of knowledge and experience,
He was always proud of his Heritage and happy to share it with others,
He never lost his Danish accent,
He was truly grateful for connection,
No matter how long it had been between visits you could always pick up with him exactly where you left off!
That is the Mogens I knew and loved.
Thanks for being authentically you Mogens.
You are and will be truly missed!
I look forward to seeing you again one day and picking up a long conversation where we left off.
Sharon
May 1st, 2023
Our deepest sympathies to Violet, Michelle, Kylee and Gabe on the passing of Mogens.
We’ve known Mogens since 1969 when as future brother and sister-in-law, we stood up for his wedding.
Our visits to BC and his travels to Manitoba, gave opportunities to continue relationships. An extended visit was during Expo86 and a family reunion.
Mogens saw opportunities in many places and his enthusiastic plans were always interesting discussions. He was a very social person making conversations easy.
His love for Freybe hotdogs and Danish cheese in his pocket were things you got used to.
He will be missed by all.
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