ESTHERVILLE — Deanna Kay (Linn) Sorbo, 79, of Estherville, died October 3, 2026, at the Estherville Community Care Center, surrounded by her family after a short but courageous battle with cancer. She leaves behind memories of a woman whose greatest joys were caring for her family, sharing home-cooked meals and serving her community.
Visitation will take place Friday, October 9, 2026, from 9:30 to 11 a.m. at Estherville Lutheran Church, 208 N. Eighth Street in Estherville. Her funeral service will follow at 11 a.m. at the church. East Side Cemetery in Estherville is listed as her final resting place.
Deanna was born August 28, 1947, in Estherville to Leonard and Neomi (Clabaugh) Linn. She attended local schools and graduated from Estherville High School. As a young woman, she worked at the Gardston Hotel, beginning a working life that would ultimately give way to the role she cherished most: mother and homemaker.
On September 23, 1967, she married Eugene Sorbo at Estherville Lutheran Church. The couple made their home in Estherville, where Deanna worked at Berkley’s until the birth of their daughter, Lynette. She then devoted herself to raising her daughter and making a loving home.
Deanna was a lifelong member of Estherville Lutheran Church, where faith and fellowship remained important parts of her life. She enjoyed cooking and baking for loved ones, and built an extensive collection of cookbooks and bells, two interests that reflected the pleasures she found in home and family traditions.
Her dedication to children reached beyond her own household. Deanna served as a Girl Scout leader for Lynette’s troop and also helped oversee numerous other area troops, giving her time and attention to young people throughout the community.
She also enjoyed fishing, finding happiness in the simple pleasures of time outdoors and alongside those closest to her.
Deanna is survived by her husband, Eugene Sorbo, of Estherville; daughter, Lynette Sorbo, of Estherville; sisters Wanda (Dale) Knudson and Sonia (Marc) Moore; brothers-in-law Patrick Jasper and Craig (Sandy) Sorbo; and sister-in-law Donnis Sorbo.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Leonard and Neomi Linn; sister, Julia Jasper; and brother-in-law, Jerry Sorbo.
Those who knew Deanna will remember a devoted wife and mother, a caring volunteer, a woman of faith and someone who expressed her affection through the meals she prepared and the time she shared with others.
Friends and family can share memories and condolences through Henry-Olson Funeral Home and Crematory.
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