Elliott Sorge

The Rt. Rev. Elliott Lorenz Sorge, 82, Bishop (Retired), in the Episcopal Church, died peacefully,
surrounded by family, on Dec. 6, 2011, in Centennial, Colo.
He loved sports, golf, fishing, hunting, traveling and was deeply devoted to his wife, children and
found extreme joy in his grandchildren. His passion in the church was theological education for
all ministries and outreach to the poor.
He was born on Jan. 31, 1929, to June (Benson) and Charles Bryan Sorge in Michigan City, Ind. He
attended DePauw University (1951), and he was a member of the Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity
and lettered in baseball. After deliberating between a career in baseball or the ministry, he
followed his calling for ministry by attending Seabury Western Theological Seminary where he
received a Master of Divinity degree in 1954. He was ordained in the Diocese of North Dakota
where he served in various rural congregations.
He married Marjorie Aline Romine on Sept. 4, 1959, and they made their home in Fargo, until he
received a call to serve as missionary in the Episcopal Church in Brazil. He was elected Bishop of
the South Central Diocese in Brazil on Jan. 31, 1970. In 1977, upon returning to the United States,
he was appointed Field Officer for the Development of the Ministry at the Episcopal Church in
New York. He was elected Bishop of the Diocese of Easton, Md., in 1983 and served until his
retirement in 1993. In 1994, he and Marge moved to Pinehurst, N.C., for great golfing. While
there, he continued his ministries serving the Sand Hills Cluster until moving to Colorado in 2001,
just in time for the arrival of their triplet grandchildren.
He is survived by his wife, Marjorie Sorge, Centennial; two daughters, Ruth L. Sorge, Littleton,
Colo., and The Rev. Marianne Sorge Ell and husband John, Williston; one son, Bryan D. Sorge and
wife, Jennifer, Englewood, Colo.; four grandchildren, Felicia Ell, Caroline, Audrey and Luke Elliott
Sorge; brothers, Monroe Sorge, Phoenix, Ariz., and Dennis Sorge and sister-in-law Adelia, West
Lafayette, Ind., and sister-in-law, Josephine Sorge, Colorado Springs, Colo., and numerous nieces
and nephews.
He is preceded in death by his parents; brother, Marlowe Sorge and sister-in-law, Doris Sorge.
The service celebrating his life will take place at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2011, at St.
Timothy’s Episcopal Church, 1401 E. Dry Creek Road, Centennial, CO 80122. In lieu of flowers,
donations may be made to Camp Wright Scholarship Fund, Diocese of Easton, 314 North Street,
Easton, MD 21601