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Bill Sorensen passed away October 31, 2026, after a life filled with community, service, faith and more adventures than most people could fit into several lifetimes.

Born March 2, 1950, in Bottineau, North Dakota, to Hans and Lillian Sorensen, Bill grew up in Bismarck and graduated from Bismarck High School in 1968. He attended Bismarck Junior College, and graduated from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota.

As a high school athlete, Bill learned to juggle, honing his skills in the baseball dugout. During college, he began learning magic tricks and discovered not only that he could earn a little money performing, but that he loved bringing smiles to others through these newfound talents. What began as a hobby grew into a lifelong passion for juggling, magic, and entertaining. Bill always carried a thimble and a fifty-cent piece in his pocket, ready to delight anyone he encountered with a little sleight of hand. He enjoyed the spontaneity of impromptu tricks just as much as the excitement of elaborate stage shows and grand illusions.

Bill began his career as a teacher and coach before entering the business world. He went on to launch several businesses and lead Business Information Systems, Inc. (BISI), for over 35 years, helping expand computer technology and wireless communications into rural communities. His entrepreneurial spirit also led him into professional sports as an original owner of the Dakota Wizards basketball team and Dakota Rattlers baseball team, and to an unexpected partnership managing Olympic silver medalist and world champion boxer Virgil “Quicksilver” Hill.

Bill’s love for North Dakota extended into public service. He served on the Bismarck City Commission, in the North Dakota House of Representatives, and for twelve years as mayor of Bismarck. He brought countless concerts and events to Bismarck through Civic Arena Promotions. He was passionate about creating places where people could gather, whether for recreation, sports, or the performing arts. On October 28, 2026, just three days before his death, the Bismarck Event Center dedicated the “Sorensen Suite” in recognition of his contributions to the city.

Medora, North Dakota, was more than a place Bill loved; it was a place where family, friendships, and his passion for performing came together. Here, while Bill performed, his daughters joined in the fun helping backstage and running the spotlight. Summers brought a lot of family mini-golf and evenings that ended around bonfires with family and friends. These were some of the family’s most treasured memories, traditions Bill later shared with his grandchildren. His deep connection to Medora was reflected in the Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation’s dedication of the Sorensen Stage in his honor in 2017 and him receiving the Foundation’s Bully Spirit Award in 2024.

Bill’s love of entertaining brought joy to audiences across the region. Over the years, he performed more than 5,000 shows in 38 states, co-hosted the Medora Musical, performed the 4M Review for more than 25 years, and shared messages of faith and hope at Medora’s Gospel Brunch. He also created the show, A Magical Medora Christmas, which continues to tour the region each holiday season.

Bill had a gift for connecting with people. Whether he was on a stage, in a boardroom, or in conversation with a stranger, he had a way of making people feel like they had known him for years. He had a natural ability to see potential in others and was a respected mentor to many individuals.

Bill’s Christian faith was the foundation of his life. Rooted in the values instilled by his parents, he believed we are called to reflect God’s light through kindness and compassion. After his congestive heart failure diagnosis in 2008 and the health challenges that followed, Bill often reflected on the gift of having more time and shared messages of gratitude, faith, and purposeful living.

Bill was a fun-loving dad, whether helping his daughters build wonderfully creative, over-the-top Valentine’s Day boxes or finding other ways to make ordinary moments magical. He was also a beloved “Papa” to his grandchildren. As a thoughtful, deeply principled man, Bill’s confidence and steady sense of what’s right made him someone his family could always turn to for guidance. His advice and the reassurance that came with it will be deeply missed.

Bill and his love, Cathy Eikeland Wold, first became friends at Concordia College and reconnected at their fiftieth reunion. Their final years together were filled with friendship, faith, laughter, and deep affection, for which Bill was profoundly grateful.

Bill is survived by his fiancée, Cathy Eikeland Wold; his daughters, Medora Benson, Tana Sorensen, Jenna (Jason) Boerger, and Tricia (Kevin) Klemisch; his grandchildren, Barrett, Bjorn, Brygg, and Kaia Benson, and Hanley, Amias, and Keeland Boerger, with another granddaughter eagerly anticipated; and his siblings, Marilyn (Dennis) Johnson, Lois Fryhling, James “Jim” (Shirley) Sorensen, and Kathy (Todd) Johnson, along with numerous nieces, nephews, and extended family members. He was preceded in death by his parents, Hans and Lillian Sorensen, and brother-in-law Rick Fryhling.

A celebration of Bill’s life will be held Monday, November 9, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Bismarck. A luncheon will follow at the Bismarck Event Center Arena, 315 S 5th St., Bismarck-Enter through door A1. To view the service livestream, click the link provided~ https://www.youtube.com/@GoodShepherdLutheranChurch/streams.

Visitation will be Sunday, November 8, from 3–5 p.m. at Good Shepherd Church, 106 Osage Ave. followed by a prayer service starting at 5:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation or Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, two organizations that were especially meaningful to Bill.

Those who wish to honor Bill’s memory are encouraged to share a laugh, offer an unexpected act of kindness, or bring a little joy into someone else’s day. Bill brought so much light to those he encountered; it is fitting to remember him by doing the same.