Karl Sorg

Karl Sorg Funeral services for Karl G. Sorg, 91, of Springfield, will be held Saturday, June 29 at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, with the Rev. Bingham Powell officiating. Remains will be interred in the columbarium at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Washington, DC following a memorial service. Karl died June 17, 2013 at his residence in Springfield after a brief illness. He was born September 12, 1922 to Carl A. and Ella M. (Gery) Sorg in Reading, Pennsylvania. He attended school in Pennsylvania and in Arlington, Va., then graduated in 1940 from Western High School in Washington, DC. He entered Dartmouth College, where his studies were interrupted by service in the U.S. Army. He graduated with the class of 1944. Karl served in the U.S. Army from 1942 to 1946, including a deployment to Cairo with the Office of Strategic Services. He was discharged with the rank of Second Lieutenant. He completed law school at Georgetown University in 1949, and opened his law practice in Arlington, Virginia in September of 1949. Karl married Ruth Louise Click in 1947 in Arlington, Va. To this marriage three children were born: Karen, Gery and Linda. The marriage ended in divorce in 1976. In 1978 Karl married Jan W. Sullivan in Illinois. To this marriage one son, Nick, was born. The marriage ended in divorce in1982. Karl practiced law from offices in Arlington, Va. throughout the Washington, DC area from 1949 through 1975, and was recognized for his work in matrimonial law. He taught law at the Northern Illinois University College of Law and Lewis University College of Law in Illinois from 1975 to 1982. He then returned to private practice (1982-1988) in Washington, DC, subsequently working as an attorney-advisor at the U.S. Department of Labor from 1988 to 1992. He then retired to Eugene, Ore. Karl was active in politics. He was a founder and member of Arlingtonians for a Better County in the 1950’s. He ran for state and national office in the 1990’s in Oregon as a member of the Socialist Party, as well as participating in efforts promoting the issues of affordable housing, universal healthcare, and social justice. His faith was always important to him, and over the years he served St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Arlington, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C. and St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Eugene in many capacities, including serving on the vestry, serving as lay reader and acolyte, and being instrumental in efforts to feed the homeless. Karl is survived by children Karen (John) Schlenker of Minnesota; Gery (Debbie) Sorg of Eugene; Linda Woodward of Washington; and Nick Sorg of Colorado; grandchildren Kate and Noah (Christine) Schlenker, Andrew and Tim (Tori) Sorg, and Dan and Ginger Woodward; and five great grandchildren. He is also survived by sister in law Nancy Sorg, and niece and nephews Carolyn Eubanks and David and Michael Sorg, all of Florida. Karl was preceded in death by his parents and brother David. Funeral arrangements are by Musgrove Mortuary.