Doris Merlene Day

Doris Merlene (Sorensen) Day, 95, was called to her heavenly home on Saturday, January 11, 2025, surrounded by family at her care facility in Shalimar, FL. A dedicated Christian, wife, mother, friend, and advocate, she is remembered for her determined leadership, infectious laugh, keen storytelling, and fighting spirit.

Doris was born on July 7, 1929 in Sioux City, Iowa as the sixth child of immigrant parents from Norway – Marie (Solberg) Sorensen from Fosse in Hardanger and Sonwald Andreas Sorensen from Bergen. She met her childhood sweetheart and husband, George “Bud” Day, when she was 9 years old, carrying water in milk jugs to Bud and her brother, Duffy, while they played basketball. They married on May 28, 1949 on her day off from work.

Following her mother’s example, Doris lived a life in service to others. She volunteered with the American Red Cross for fifteen years and served as president of Officer Wives’ Clubs in England, New York, and Florida. While her husband was a POW in North Vietnam, she served as the Arizona Coordinator for the National League of Families of POW/MIA’s. Advocating for the swift and safe return of POWs, she even traveled to Europe and met with a representative of North Vietnam in Sweden. She continued to speak, advocate, and urge the safe return of POWs until she was reunited with her husband on March 17, 1973. During this time, she was recognized as both Military Spouse and Military Volunteer of the Year for Tactical Air Command. She was aptly nicknamed “The Viking” by her loving husband for both her Norwegian roots and her astonishing courage in the face of improbable adversity.

In 1974, Doris and her family moved to Okaloosa County, which she would call home for the next fifty years. In those years, she became an essential leader in the Florida Federation of Women’s Clubs. She dedicated her time and energy to advocating for breast cancer patients and equal pay for women. She also served in multiple capacities in her local church, Good Shepherd Lutheran, including the Board of Directors. She joined the Okaloosa County Women’s Hall of Fame in 2010. 

Doris is survived by her three children: George E. Day, Jr., and his wife, Mary Ann, of Niceville, FL, Sandra (Day) Hearn, and her husband, Darren, of West Monroe, LA, and Sonja (Day) La Jeunesse, and her husband, Kent, of Milton, FL; and her fifteen grandchildren: Josh, Noel, Bethany, Peter, Yuri, Caleb, Lydia, Jacob, Victoria, Brian, Dusty, Audrey, Anna, Amelia, and Kyle. She also leaves behind twelve great grandchildren.

She was predeceased by her husband of 64 years, Brigadier General George E. “Bud” Day; her siblings, Inger, Mathilde, Stanley, and Ralph “Duffy” Sorensen and Mabel (Sorensen) Powell; and her son, Steven Michael Day.

A Funeral Service will be held on Friday, January 17, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 1 Meigs Dr, Shalimar, FL. She will then be interred at Barrancas National Cemetery at 1:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations in Doris’ memory may be made online or by check to Air Force Enlisted Village, including “Hawthorn House” in the remarks.