Floyd Dale Sorensen, 86, of Hayfield, Minn., died Saturday morning, Jan. 4, 2014, at St. Marys Hospital in Rochester. He was born June 7, 1927, in Lansing Township, Mower County, Minn., the son of Nels and Anna (Fredricksen) Sorensen. He received his education in the Taylor Country School. He was united in marriage to Madeline Howden on July 11, 1948, in Dexter.  From 1946 to 1947, Floyd served his country in the U.S. Navy. Floyd farmed and milked cows, and in 1966, he built a new barn and milked up to 52 head. In 1974, he was involved in an accident and following his recovery returned to school in 1976, at the Austin Community College. He graduated in 1978, with a degree in agricultural studies.  He became a Master Scaler No. 1 for the State of Minnesota, overseeing six scales in Southern Minnesota, retiring in 1992. Floyd enjoyed playing cards, bingo and fishing, as well as traveling to several Southern Minnesota schools to demonstrate rope making. He liked John Deere tractors, collecting 19 of them, and always had tractors in the Hayfield parade.  Floyd was very involved in senior citizen centers in Hayfield, West Concord and Kasson, volunteering for SEMCAC, the RSVP transportation program and Meals on Wheels. In 1998, he was voted the Dodge County Outstanding Senior Citizen and placed second in the state of Minnesota. He was an active member of First Baptist Church in Blooming Prairie where he led Christian Fellowship and served on the board as a deacon and trustee. He also was a member of American Legion Post 52 for more than 64 years and traveled on the Honor Flight in 2010.

Survivors include four sons, Norman (Naomi) Sorensen, of Salinas, Calif.; Mark (Cindy) Sorensen, of Rochester; Brian (Debra) Sorensen and Daniel (Christina) Sorensen, all of Waltham; 11 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; brothers and sisters, Myron (DeeDee) Sorensen, of Dexter; Erene (Gaylord) Tapp, of Brownsdale; Art (Donna) Sorensen of Waltham, Robert (Beverly) Sorensen, of Grand Meadow; as well as many nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Madeline, in 1989; daughter, Diane, in 2013; four sisters and four brothers.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2014, at First Baptist Church in Blooming Prairie with Pastor Matthew Fennell, officiating. Military honors will be rendered immediately following services by members of American Legion Post 52 and VFW Post 878. Interment will be held in the spring at Blooming Prairie Cemetery. Visitation will be on Friday, Jan. 10, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Worlein-Blooming Prairie Funeral Home and for one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday morning. Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.worlein.com.