Joseph Alexander Solobay

Joseph Alexander Solobay age 86 a lifelong resident of Canonsburg passed away peacefully at 8:15 pm Saturday March 19, 2016, St. Joseph’s Day, in his home with his loving wife by his side.

He was born July 22, 1929 in Canonsburg a son of the late Alex Rededon and Maria Teresa Detony Solobay. He was a graduate of Canonsburg High School class of 1948 where he was a prime mover of its reunion committee and the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science with honors in 1949. Mr. Solobay served as a Sargent with the United States Army in the 293rd graves registration company during the Korean War and was very proud of his sharpshooter medal. A faithful member of the Canonsburg United Presbyterian Church, where he served as Elder, he was very active in the community. He was a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 191 and a founding member of the Jefferson College Historical Society where he served as treasurer and membership chairman for forty years. Mr. Solobay has served on the boards of the former Canonsburg Library and the Frank Sarris Library, Speer Spring Cemetery and Oak Spring Cemetery where at the age of 14 he was digging graves with his best friend Sam Busch. He was a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Canonsburg Bicentennial Commission. He had been employed by the former RCA plant in Canonsburg, and the McGraw Edison Power Systems and Cooper Industries prior to its closing. A dedicated funeral director, Mr. Solobay served his apprenticeship at the Carl B. Guss Funeral Home in Mifflintown. He had been employed over sixty five years at various funeral homes including Yoney, Sollon, Hummel and Barnhill, Griffith and Krawczyk until reluctantly retiring from Salandra Funeral and Cremation Services after 35 years of service last year. He wrote an article which was published in the Jefferson College Times on the Morgan Opera House disaster of August 26, 1911. Among his hobbies were gardening from which he gave away tons of tomatoes, peppers and garlic over the years, a personal collection of Canonsburg memorabilia and he loved to speak Russian and Japanese to his great grandchildren.

His first wife Elsie Donelich Solobay passed away January 23, 1980. On July 22, 1982 he married Amelia (Amy) Fantini who survives. Also surviving are three children; Timothy J. (Karen) Solobay of Canonsburg, Miriam Jo (Doug) Miller of Washington and Mark J. Solobay of Canonsburg, a brother Pete Solobay of Butler, six grandchildren; Kristen (Jason) Urso, Justin (Michelle) Solobay, Matthew Miller, Luke (Zara) Miller, Joshua Nixon and Michelle (Nick) Lewandowski  ,7 great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. Deceased in addition to his parents and first wife are his sister Florence Schickler and brothers Paul, David and John Solobay. He will be missed by his kitty Biscotti and long remembered for his saying “I only like two kinds of pie, hot and cold.”

Friends are welcome from 2-4 and 6-9pm Monday and 2-4 and 6-8pm Tuesday in Salandra Funeral and Cremation Services, Inc. Joseph P Salandra owner/supervisor, Lin Webb funeral director 304 West Pike Street Canonsburg 724-745-8120 and Wednesday March 23, 2016 from 10 am to 11am the time of service in the Canonsburg United Presbyterian Church 112 West Pike Street Canonsburg with Reverend Don Coleman officiating. Graveside interment with full military rites by the VFW post 191 honor guard will follow in Oak Spring Cemetery. Memorial contributions in Mr. Solobay’s name may be made to the Frank Sarris Library the Canonsburg Volunteer Fire Department or the Allegheny Health Network Hospice.