James LeVoy Sorenson Dies at 86

Best known to genealogists as founder of the Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation, James LeVoy Sorenson was also a world-renowned inventor, entreprenur and philanthropist. I was saddened to hear today that he died of cancer Sunday. He was 86.

Sorenson held more than 40 medical patents in his lifetime and is perhaps best known for developing the first real-time computerized heart monitoring system. He also invented pioneering disposable surgical masks, non-invasive intravenous catheters and the automated drug pump. In recent years he developed an interest in genetics, establishing both the non-profit Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation to build the world's foremost collection of correlated genetic and family history information, and Sorenson Geonomics, the world's first laboratory accredited by the American Association of Blood Banks for genetic genealogy testing services. The Deseret Morning News has a nice obituary and Dick Eastman has an interesting article about him written in 2004.