Linda Marie (Held) Sorge, 78, of Washburn, ND passed away peacefully on December 23, 2023 surrounded by family in Bismarck, ND.  The family of Linda Sorge invites family and friends to a Celebration of Life service for Linda on Saturday, August 10, 2024 at 3:00 PM at the Washburn United Methodist Church. Following the service, all are welcome to attend a corn feed at the Prairie Pothole and share memories of Linda. Although not necessary, attendees can bring a dessert.  The celebration of Life service will be livestreamed at the bottom of Linda's obituary on this page.

Linda was born July 26, 1945, in Mandan, ND, the daughter of Willmer and Olive (Timpe) Held. She grew up in New Salem, ND and graduated from New Salem High School in 1963. She attended Dickinson State College for 2 years.

Linda married her high school sweetheart Donald (Don) Sorge on June 5, 1964, at Peace United Church of Christ in New Salem. Into this union three sons, Jesse, Les, and Drew, were born. Linda and Don moved to Washburn, ND, in August of 1967 to build their lives and raise a family. She started as a homemaker, raising her boys and taking care of the homestead. As her boys grew older, she worked outside the home including at the local Montgomery Ward store, running the administrative side of Sorge Construction, and then dedicating over 25 years to Federal service with the Farmers Home Administration. She retired in 2010.

Linda was an active member of the Washburn United Methodist Church and very active in the different support groups and the building of the new church which opened in 2012. She enjoyed golfing and participated in getting the Painted Woods Golf Course off and running. She was an avid gardener and tended to a variety of flowers, fruits, and vegetables every year. She was an active member of the Order of the Eastern Star and attended many of the activities they put on. She enjoyed sitting in the goose blinds with Don watching, laughing, and just enjoying being together. We all know she shot a lot of shells and probably got more geese than dad. She and Don enjoyed traveling with friends and family and had many wonderful adventures. She loved her beloved grandchildren Cayden and Chloe and attended every event she could to support them. Linda will be remembered most for her dedication to her family and for her kind and generous spirit, always welcoming family and friends into her heart and home.

Grieving her loss are her husband Don; her sons Jesse and his wife Melissa of Mesa, AZ (along with 5 children and 9 grandchildren), Les and his wife Birgit of Sioux Falls, SD, and Drew and his wife Amy and their children Cayden and Chloe of Bismarck; sister Kathy Held of Fargo, ND (along with Janna, Lyndsay, Marnie, husbands and grandchildren); and a large extended family and circle of friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents Willmer and Olive Held and her brother Dorlyn Held.

"What we once enjoyed and deeply loved we can never lose,

for all that we love deeply becomes part of us."

Helen Keller