Sorley, Ned Smith

Ned Sorley passed away March 5, 2025 at his condo in Minnetonka,MN, surrounded by his wife, brothers, and family friend Valerie. Ned was born in June 1954 to Harold M. and Ann Gaye (Smith) Sorley in Fargo, ND. He played baseball on a winning pee wee league, played hockey for Fargo South High School and was on the track team. He graduated from Fargo South in 1972. Ned went on to attend several universities before graduating from Moorhead State University with a degree in business. Ned worked in copier sales and moved to financial sales with his brother Robb at Miller and Schroeder Financial before finishing his career with UBS Financial. Ned married Virginia Haggart, also from Fargo, ND. They lived in Minnetonka, MN, and later moved to Loretto, MN, where they raised Deutsch-Drahthaars (German Wirehaired Pointers) for 20 years. Ned loved to hunt birds in Iowa and western ND with his brother Robb, brothers-in-law, nephews and many friends. He especially enjoyed taking the young pups out in the field and watching the lightbulb moment when they figured out their job was to find and point birds.

He also watched many a spectacular sunset over the Chalky Buttes near Amidon, ND, and found great camaraderie sitting around “the shack” dining room table sharing hunting stories of the day and awarding some unsuspecting hunter the “Game Hog” trophy of the day.

Ned was president of the MN chapter of NAVHDA (North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association) for 2 terms. He also was chairman for 2 terms of the Midwest North chapter of Verein Deutsch Drahthaar (VDD). Ned was a judge in VDD to test dogs in order for them to be breed-certified. He and his wife and friends traveled to Germany many times to attend field trials for the breed. Ned was very athletic like his grandpa Wilbur Smith who played baseball for the Minneapolis Millers.

Ned ran several marathons (Grandma’s and Twin Cities) with friends and many shorter races with his wife. He cross country skied, downhill skied, sailed, biked, and loved to be outside training his dogs and enjoying fresh air. Ned and brother Robb and friends enjoyed fishing for muskies in years past. Brother Rick and Ned were roommates as bachelors and had many a good laugh. Ned looked forward to when big sister Nan would visit from Colorado with her kids and grandkids. Ned thoroughly enjoyed his mother’s cooking and baking and having coffee with his parents at the kitchen table and discussing the problems of the day. Ned had many friends, a huge smile and a great wit. Ned was a champion for the underdog.

Ned was preceded in death by his grandparents Wilbur and Edna Smith, Harold A. and Ida M. Sorley, father Harold M. Sorley, cousin Kevin Smith, aunt Mary Gale Smith, uncle Dave and aunt Jane (Smith) Shaw, uncle Richard and aunt Lenore (Simonson) Smith, cousin Leslie (Shaw) Bartelt, uncle Victor and aunt Meredith (Sorley) Horne, in-laws William and Marjorie Haggart, and brother-in-law Stan Gordon.

Ned is survived by his wife of 35 years Virginia Haggart, mother Ann Gaye (Smith) Sorley, siblings Nanette (Glenn) McNees, Richard (Beth) Sorley, Robert (Ada) Sorley, cousins, and nieces and nephews and grandnieces and grandnephews whom he adored.

-A memorial service will by held at:

St. David’s Episcopal Church at

13000 St. David’s Road, Minnetonka, MN, 55305 on Saturday, March 29th at 11 AM.

A luncheon will follow in the undercroft.

-In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred to St. David’s Episcopal Church, the Animal Humane Society,

Salvation Army or Pheasants Forever.

The service will be live-streamed on St. David's Facebook page and posted later to YouTube.