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IN MEMORY OF MARY JO SORENSON

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Hello, my name is Melissa, and Mary Sorenson was and always will be, my mother.

Mary was a kind soul, who got put through the wringer her whole life. She was always the first one to take the shirt off her back for others, cooked meals fit for an army, or start up a beautiful bonfire and offer anyone a place to sit with her. Anyone and everyone in Fargo, ND has had their heart touched by my mother, and I know the news of her passing has hurt many. I'm sure there are hundreds of stories out there involving my mom and her quick, fiesty wit and humor!

Life eventually got out of control for her, and she was left in the hands of someone who shouldn't have had any type of responsibility for her, and that person dropped the ball on taking care of her and couldn't even offer the most basic needs, when she needed it the most. And that is eventually where I stepped in after learning of these events from her best friend and guardian angel Auntie Sonny.

Back in May, my mother fell onto a table and ruptured and hurt several internal organs. She was left helpless and sick with no medical care for a few days in her home, which was also left unclean with her roommate and had no access to water, including a toilet, for about 2 years, and when she finally got to the hospital, that is where her terribly long path began and eventually ended. The doctors and nurses did their best with everything thrown at them, but it was a long difficult journey that needed to end with my mom's comfort over anyone else's. She fought hard, even til the end, and even if she didn't know it, we were there with her every step of the way.

I am starting this fundraiser to help with funeral expenses and for help traveling to go say goodbye to my mom and see my remaining family. My mom had 3 children, me the eldest, and my 2 sweet younger brothers, Aaron and Steven. They have some special needs, and have grown so much. Now, with mom gone, they need funds to protect them during this transition. As the eldest, I took it upon myself to be there for my mother and my brothers as best as I could during these last couple of months despite living out of state... and as predicted, I'm learning quickly just how much everything costs, between the products offered, funeral services, cremation, gas to travel from Lincoln, Montana (where I reside) to Fargo, North Dakota, unpaid bills, and figuring out what to do with my mom's remaining belongings and what or where my brothers can go and need to do once this huge life change starts settling down. Every dollar donated will be appreciated and used directly for my mom's funeral and expenses and anything over my goal will be used for travel and my brothers.

I will owe 50% of the cost up front at the funeral, then I will have 1 month after the funeral to pay off the funeral services, so time and money is tight. The cost of the funeral services themselves will get to about $8-9k for a basic service renting a casket, then cremation. So my goal will be $9,000 for that. With a celebration of her life, travel expenses, and a safety cushion for my brothers and myself, I'm "guess-timating" all of that and that is why I set my true goal for $11k here on gofundme. As an added note, I will be able to supply about $1,000 or more from my own savings and paychecks.

Thank you in advance for any donations and shares on social media. The details for the funeral are here:

Boulger Funeral Home
123 10th St S, Fargo, ND 58103
Wednesday August 9th at 2 pm.

TO MARY JO SORENSON- LOVING MOTHER, TRUE FRIEND, A KIND SOUL
APRIL 27TH, 1972 - JULY 25TH, 2023
There is no more pain and sadness where you are now mom. We love you so much. XOXO
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Donations 

  • Theresa Cox
    • $200
    • 1 yr
  • Jamie Smith
    • $100
    • 1 yr
  • Jasmine Doom
    • $100
    • 1 yr
  • Jasmine Doom
    • $100
    • 1 yr
  • Steve Fehrs
    • $300
    • 1 yr
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Organizer

Melissa Hollowell
Organizer
Lincoln, MT

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