EVA SORENSEN
Eva Maughan Sorensen, 103, of Soda Springs was born February 2, 1919, at home on the family farm at Central, Idaho, and died December 2, 2022, in Idaho Falls, Idaho.
Eva's father, Daniel "Dell" Maughan, was a farmer and sheriff's deputy; her mother, Alice "Allie" Lloyd Maughan, a midwife. Eva was the sixth of nine children.
At age four, she watched her family's home and almost all their possessions burn to the ground. She was the family cook and drove horses and wagon during haying. She sang alto and performed with an especially talented brother. And she had a lot of fun growing up in her self-sufficient family — until her beloved father died unexpectedly when she was seventeen.
She was a Grace High School graduate and contributed to family finances by working at Chadwick's Dry Goods Store. In 1942 she married Elton Sorensen, a Danish farmer, and moved to his dry farm north of Soda Springs. They worked really hard, side by side, building a fine farm in the high country of eave-high snowdrifts, hailstorms, killing frosts, droughts, insect infestations — and gorgeous sunrises and sunsets, just-right light rains, inquisitive wildlife, great neighbors, and lots of laughter.
Eva was an especially talented homemaker and caring mother. An excellent baker and seamstress, she taught 4-H and judged foods, canning, and sewing entries at county and state fairs. For weddings and special events, Eva decorated classy cakes. Every week forever, she made whole wheat bread, from home-ground Sorensen wheat. She was a wheat weaver and knitted, crocheted, and tatted. She revived the most sorry house plants, produced beautiful massive flower gardens, and spent scores of frosty evenings covering her strawberries.
Eva completed the Dale Carnegie Speaking course. Her daily hand-written journal details became dependable historical reference for farm operation.
At church she was Primary and Relief Society secretaries and a Mutual teacher. She and Elt were honored as Grand Marshals for the Caribou County Fair; and she, for the Soda Springs July Fourth Parade.
Elt passed away in 2004. After a destructive fall in 2016, Eva moved to MorningStar Assisted Living in Idaho Falls where she continued her remarkably

active life right up until she left us. While there, she enjoyed precious friendships with staff and very special residents. She read the daily paper, novels, and agricultural and religious publications front to back, sang weekly with the chorus, and regularly toured the area, all while assuring the farm's care was not slipping.
Eva is preceded in death by her parents; husband, Elton Sorensen; brothers Raymond, Herman, Kenneth, Lloyd, and Roy Maughan; sisters Ellen Sorensen and Melba Kaelin. She is survived by her sister Ruby Clark; son, Rodney (Stacey) Sorensen; daughters, Wanda Jean Sorensen and Karen (Dale) Guilford; granddaughters, Hillary (Paul Guest) Guilford and Kelle Guilford.
Funeral services will be Thursday, December 8, at Noon in the Hooper LDS chapel, located at 281 East Hooper Avenue in Soda Springs. Visitation with family will be 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the church. Burial will be in the Fairview Cemetery.
If you wish to make any monetary contribution on Eva's behalf, please consider Idaho Youth Ranch, 5465 W. Irving, Boise, ID 83706.