Joseph Edward Soltis

March 13, 1926 - March 2, 2021

Joseph Edward Soltis was born in Garrettsville, Ohio, on March 13, 1926. A farm boy who wanted to fly airplanes, Joe joined the US Army Air Forces in 1943 and finally achieved his dream of flying after WWII via the GI Bill. He served as a pilot for Capitol Airlines and later United Airlines, flying on routes from Pittsburgh, Washington, D. C., and Chicago. He flew planes ranging from the Piper Cub (with two seats) and the DC-3 to the Boeing 747, on which he served as Captain on routes across the Pacific to Japan and South Korea. He married Joan Catherine Ulishney in Warren, Ohio, and together they had three children, Douglas, Dwight, and Nancy; Joan passed away on September 18, 1990. Joe later married Gloria Poskaitis; Gloria passed away on November 26, 2014. A devout Catholic, Joe loved family and friends and enjoyed tennis, golf, fishing, and trips to Hawaii. After spending much of his adult life in Alexandria, Virginia, Joe lived for a few years in Hilton Head, South Carolina, and the Front Royal/Winchester area of Virginia before moving to Gainesville, Florida, in 2017. Joe made the world brighter, and he always had a joke and a story to share. His uplifting spirit and laughter will be remembered fondly by everyone who knew him. He is survived by his children, their spouses Pamela (Sagraves) Soltis, Lucy (Adgate) Soltis, and Drew Fessler, seven grandchildren Bonnie Soltis, David Fessler, Holly Soltis, Katie Soltis, Kerry (Soltis) Clapper, Morgan Soltis, and Sarah Soltis, and one great-grandchild, Kailey Clapper. A Funeral Mass will be held Friday, March 12, 2021 at 9:30 a.m. at Holy Faith Catholic Church, 747 NW 43rd St, Gainesville. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made on behalf of Joe to his favorite charities, Catholic Charities (https://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/) or Habitat for Humanity (https://www.habitat.org/).