S.R. 2 Enrolled

1

SENATE RESOLUTION HONORING
2 JAMES L. SORENSON
3 2008 GENERAL SESSION
4 STATE OF UTAH
5 Chief Sponsor: Allen M. Christensen
6 Cosponsors:
7 Gregory S. Bell
8 Curtis S. Bramble
9 D. Chris Buttars
10 Gene Davis
11 Margaret Dayton
12 Mike Dmitrich
13 Dan R. Eastman
14 Fred J. Fife
15 Brent H. GoodfellowJon J. Greiner
John W. Hickman
Lyle W. Hillyard
Scott K. Jenkins
Patricia W. Jones
Sheldon L. Killpack
Peter C. Knudson
Mark B. Madsen
Karen Mayne
Scott D. McCoyWayne L. Niederhauser
Darin G. Peterson
Ross I. Romero
Howard A. Stephenson
Dennis E. Stowell
John L. Valentine
Kevin T. VanTassell
Michael G. Waddoups
Carlene M. Walker 16
17 LONG TITLE
18 General Description:
19 This resolution of the Senate honors the life and accomplishments of James L. Sorenson.
20 Highlighted Provisions:
21 This resolution:
22 . honors the extraordinary life of James L. Sorenson, his accomplishments, and their
23 impact for good on Utah, its citizens, and the world; and
24 . expresses condolences to James L. Sorenson's family at his passing.
25 Special Clauses:
26 None
27
28 Be it resolved by the Senate of the state of Utah:
29 WHEREAS, James L. Sorenson was born in a farmhouse in Rexburg, Idaho on July 30,
30 1921, the first child of young parents Joseph LeVoy and Emma Blaser Sorenson;
31 WHEREAS, the love and encouragement provided by his parents enabled James to
32 embrace life with enthusiasm and an optimistic attitude, even while growing up in the midst of

33 the Great Depression;
34 WHEREAS, with this attitude, James overcame the poverty of his childhood to become
35 one of the world's leading inventors, entrepreneurs, and philanthropists;
36 WHEREAS, James was raised in northern California and received a basketball
37 scholarship to Sierra College;
38 WHEREAS, James was later accepted into the naval V5 pilot training and V7 medical
39 programs, but chose instead to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
40 Saints (LDS) to the New England States;
41 WHEREAS, James enlisted in the United States Marines, graduated from Officers
42 Candidate School, and completed his pharmacy internship;
43 WHEREAS, it was in the LDS Manhattan Ward in New York that James met his
44 beloved bride, Beverley Taylor;
45 WHEREAS, James and Beverley were married in the Logan LDS Temple July 23, 1946,
46 and spent 61 happy years together;
47 WHEREAS, in 1947, James made his first real estate purchase, a $50 down payment on
48 a newly built home in Rose Park, and made his first real estate investment acquisition, 3.5 acres
49 on the Salt Lake Valley bench;
50 WHEREAS, after an honorable release from military service, James worked eight years
51 for the Upjohn Company as a salesman;
52 WHEREAS, in 1957, James stopped selling for Upjohn and co-founded Deseret
53 Pharmaceutical;
54 WHEREAS, in 1960, James sold his share of Deseret Pharmaceutical and purchased a
55 garment manufacturer, renaming it LeVoy's;
56 WHEREAS, in 1962, the success of LeVoy's enabled James to pursue his real passion,
57 medical products, by founding Sorenson Research;
58 WHEREAS, some of James' pioneering inventions include the disposable surgical mask,
59 non-invasive plastic venous catheters, blood recycling and infusion systems, novel anti-clotting
60 solutions, and the first real-time computerized heart monitoring systems;

61 WHEREAS, many of James' inventions became standard equipment in health care;
62 WHEREAS, the host of medical innovations James invented transformed patient care in
63 hospitals and clinics throughout the world and helped save or improve millions of lives;
64 WHEREAS, James' inventions yielded more than 40 patents;
65 WHEREAS, in 1980, James sold Sorenson Research to Abbott Laboratories and
66 became its largest private stockholder;
67 WHEREAS, James founded a family of dynamic entrepreneurial organizations in
68 industries ranging from information technology to life sciences, real estate, and genetic
69 genealogy;
70 WHEREAS, enjoying success in a variety of businesses, James was constantly interested
71 in new ideas, new technologies, and potential acquisitions;
72 WHEREAS, in 1999, James broke ground on Rosecrest, a master-planned subdivision
73 on the Salt Lake Valley's southwest bench;
74 WHEREAS, in 2000, James founded Sorenson Genomics LLC;
75 WHEREAS, in 2001, James founded the nonprofit research organization Sorenson
76 Molecular Genealogy Foundation;
77 WHEREAS, in 2007, James broke ground on Jordanelle Ridge, a high-end
78 master-planned community in Heber Valley;
79 WHEREAS, James greatly enjoyed acting on new ideas, creating companies to make
80 them a reality, and getting involved in worthwhile endeavors;
81 WHEREAS, despite his professional and philanthropic accomplishments, James
82 consistently maintained that his greatest legacy was his family, including 47 grandchildren and
83 28 great-grandchildren;
84 WHEREAS, James spent many hours reading poetry, which brought him great solace;
85 WHEREAS, James loved being alone in nature and enjoying its beauties;
86 WHEREAS, James took a great interest in people and it was not in his nature to
87 distinguish himself from others; and
88 WHEREAS, the life of James L. Sorenson convincingly demonstrates the power one

89 person can have to better the lives of many:
90 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the state of Utah honors
91 the extraordinary life of James L. Sorenson and all that he did to better the lives of Utahns and
92 many millions of other people throughout the world.
93 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Senate expresses its most sincere condolences
94 to James L. Sorenson's family at his passing.
95 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to James L.
96 Sorenson's family.