Vincent F. Sorren

Vincent Sorren, 80, headed to the big party in the sky September 8, 2023, after a long illness.
His motto: ”Carpe diem” guided his life.
A lifelong Catholic influenced by Jesuits, Vince attended St. Luke’s in River Forest IL,
St. Giles’s in Oak Park, Campion High School for Boys in Prairie du Chien WI and Marquette
University. At 22, he bought his dad’s printing business, evolving it into publishing Modern
People Newsweekly and CountryStyle Magazine (partying with Willie & Waylon, Kenny Rogers,
Loretta Lynn, Tanya Tucker to name a few, plus saving Dolly Parton from falling off the Grand
Old Opry Stage during the CMA awards), before switching careers to bond trading, and
founding Lake Geneva Brewing Company Ltd. in the early years of the craft beer craze.
Lake Geneva became his adopted hometown when his parents, Vince and Jo, bought a
summer home in 1956. Vince was a Water Safety Patrol lifeguard in The Manor and at Button’s
Bay Beach during high school and college. He bought a ’47 flathead Ford firetruck with no
brakes at a WSP benefit auction while unknowingly bidding against his sister Bonnie.
Vince learned to golf barefoot at Hillmoor while honing his putting skills on sand greens
at Campion. A past member of Oak Park Country Club, Big Foot CC and TPC at Eagle Trace,
he racked up an incredible 11 holes-in-one! His advice? “Aim for the hole.”
Fishing, skeet & trap shooting and waterskiing were other passions, with many
Manitoba Master Angler patches, 25-straight skeet patches, and The BFCC Annie Oakley
Award for Trap among his trophies, along with a head mount of the 437-pound pregnant sand
shark he caught off the coast of Palm Beach. He taught his kids, their friends, their friends’
friends, his grandchildren and anyone who wanted to learn to waterski. Built a dory with his
future-wife Nona and his dad as a premarital test, even though none of them could sail. She
passed the test, and they celebrated 41 years of wedded bliss in July.
Strangers were friends he hadn’t met. He loved to “crash” weddings, inevitably ending
up dancing with the bride. Always first on the dance floor and last to leave, he was dubbed
“The World’s Oldest Teenager.” He loved to play gin with the guys, and “drank well with
others.” His quick-witted humor, generous spirit and big heart endeared him to many
throughout his life. He encouraged and mentored many young and old to become their own
boss, and had a lot of fun along the way.
He’ll always have a sweet spot in the hearts of the love-of-his-life Nona, beloved
children Amy (John) Kothe and Joe Sorren and cherished sister Bonnie (John) Girsch. Martha
and Henry (Sherry) Sorren, Maddie, Abby and Kate Kothe will always miss their Pa, who taught
them how to embrace life to the fullest with a smile. He dearly loved his sisters-in-law, nieces,
nephews, cousins and friends. We’re sure a host of angels, including his son Vincent Van, his
Mom and Dad, sister Vicky (John) Jurica, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends, greeted him at the
big party in the sky.
Celebration of Life will be private. In lieu of flowers, Vincent asked that you pray for our
country. Carpe Diem.