Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Calls outside of office hours? No worries! Our team will respond within 10–15 minutes.
October 20, 2017
Services
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Wednesday, October 25, 2017 from 4-8 PM. Funeral Services will be held at 10 AM on Thursday, October 26, 2017 from the funeral home, then to Our Lady of the Valley RC Church, Wayne, where at 11 AM a Funeral Mass will be offered. Burial will follow at the Christ the King Cemetery, Franklin Lakes.
Raymond A. Solowski of Wayne, died on Friday, October 20, 2017.
Born to the late Joseph and Mae Solowski, (née Hoffman) Ray was raised by his parents in Perth Amboy where he enjoyed a boy’s childhood with his brother, Joseph, and sister, Carol, as well as many cousins and friends. It's there where the seeds of a lifelong love and commitment to family were planted.
After graduating St. John Kanty Prep HS, he began his college education in pursuit of his future. However, he selflessly set aside his own plans and interrupted his education when his parents needed him more.
He enlisted in the US Navy where, ironically, he never served aboard a ship during his Naval career. Instead he found himself on a plane, part of a crew flying Navy dignitaries to and from the nuclear test sites all around Bikini Atoll and the Marshall Islands, giving him an early start on his frequent flyer miles.
Upon his discharge in 1956, he took advantage of the GI Bill and completed his education, earning a degree in Electrical Engineering from Fairleigh Dickinson. He enjoyed a successful career in sales, continuing to add on to those early frequent flyer miles as he traveled the country, earning the respect of colleagues and competitors alike. His tall stature, business knowledge, and outgoing personality made him memorable amongst his peers. These traits, along with his sales acumen, led to many industry awards. At his retirement, he was the National Sales Manager for MagneTek of Torrance, California.
In spite of his professional success, family is truly where his heart lay at, with his wife Diane at the root. He met her after agreeing to drive his sister on an outing to the Jersey shore with her pen pal, Diane. Upon meeting her, he gladly agreed to drive his sister to Diane's anytime.
Their romance blossomed and they were married on May 27, 1961 at St. Joseph Church in Passaic followed by a honeymoon to Florida. After a first apartment in Edison, they settled in Wayne to start their family. They’ve enjoyed fifty six years of a loving and devoted marriage and she will miss him dearly.
Despite his busy work schedule, Ray always had time for family. He was a frequent and an enthusiastic PAL girls’ basketball coach who developed a reputation for winning championships. He enjoyed traveling with his wife and daughters, and loved spending days at the Jersey shore, often with extended family. He took pleasure in watching college and professional basketball and was an avid Yankees and Giants fan. Although “retired” from coaching, Ray became an avid spectator at his grandchildren’s sporting events and school activities.
Ray was a hero to his family through the daily sacrifices he made to his whole family. He delighted in his family and they will always treasure his warmth and love. He was a great storyteller with a wonderful laugh and an infectious smile. A more devoted Husband, Father, Grandfather, Brother, Uncle, Brother-in-law, Father-in-law you could not ask for. A gentleman always, he set an example they will always look up to and strive for, and he will leave a hole that can never be filled.
Ray is survived by his beloved wife Diane of Wayne, three daughters; Tracy Solowski of Wayne, Lisa Velicky and her husband Paul of Parsippany, and Dr. Nancy Solowski and her husband Kevin Kampherstein of Maryland, eight grandchildren; Alex, Tristan, Christopher, Nicholas, Sarah, Paulie, Breyen, and Eme, his sister; Carol Lloyd of East Windsor, NJ, sisters-in-law; Margaret Solowski of Sewaren, NJ, and Susan Mortaro and her husband Louis of Wayne, and many dear nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his brother Joseph in 1993, and by his brother-in-law Philip Lloyd in 2000.
If you would like to send a private condolence directly to the family use this condolence section.
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Wednesday, October 25, 2017 from 4-8 PM. Funeral Services will be held at 10 AM on Thursday, October 26, 2017 from the funeral home, then to Our Lady of the Valley RC Church, Wayne, where at 11 AM a Funeral Mass will be offered. Burial will follow at the Christ the King Cemetery, Franklin Lakes.
October 20, 2017
Services
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Wednesday, October 25, 2017 from 4-8 PM. Funeral Services will be held at 10 AM on Thursday, October 26, 2017 from the funeral home, then to Our Lady of the Valley RC Church, Wayne, where at 11 AM a Funeral Mass will be offered. Burial will follow at the Christ the King Cemetery, Franklin Lakes.
Raymond A. Solowski of Wayne, died on Friday, October 20, 2017.
Born to the late Joseph and Mae Solowski, (née Hoffman) Ray was raised by his parents in Perth Amboy where he enjoyed a boy’s childhood with his brother, Joseph, and sister, Carol, as well as many cousins and friends. It's there where the seeds of a lifelong love and commitment to family were planted.
After graduating St. John Kanty Prep HS, he began his college education in pursuit of his future. However, he selflessly set aside his own plans and interrupted his education when his parents needed him more.
He enlisted in the US Navy where, ironically, he never served aboard a ship during his Naval career. Instead he found himself on a plane, part of a crew flying Navy dignitaries to and from the nuclear test sites all around Bikini Atoll and the Marshall Islands, giving him an early start on his frequent flyer miles.
Upon his discharge in 1956, he took advantage of the GI Bill and completed his education, earning a degree in Electrical Engineering from Fairleigh Dickinson. He enjoyed a successful career in sales, continuing to add on to those early frequent flyer miles as he traveled the country, earning the respect of colleagues and competitors alike. His tall stature, business knowledge, and outgoing personality made him memorable amongst his peers. These traits, along with his sales acumen, led to many industry awards. At his retirement, he was the National Sales Manager for MagneTek of Torrance, California.
In spite of his professional success, family is truly where his heart lay at, with his wife Diane at the root. He met her after agreeing to drive his sister on an outing to the Jersey shore with her pen pal, Diane. Upon meeting her, he gladly agreed to drive his sister to Diane's anytime.
Their romance blossomed and they were married on May 27, 1961 at St. Joseph Church in Passaic followed by a honeymoon to Florida. After a first apartment in Edison, they settled in Wayne to start their family. They’ve enjoyed fifty six years of a loving and devoted marriage and she will miss him dearly.
Despite his busy work schedule, Ray always had time for family. He was a frequent and an enthusiastic PAL girls’ basketball coach who developed a reputation for winning championships. He enjoyed traveling with his wife and daughters, and loved spending days at the Jersey shore, often with extended family. He took pleasure in watching college and professional basketball and was an avid Yankees and Giants fan. Although “retired” from coaching, Ray became an avid spectator at his grandchildren’s sporting events and school activities.
Ray was a hero to his family through the daily sacrifices he made to his whole family. He delighted in his family and they will always treasure his warmth and love. He was a great storyteller with a wonderful laugh and an infectious smile. A more devoted Husband, Father, Grandfather, Brother, Uncle, Brother-in-law, Father-in-law you could not ask for. A gentleman always, he set an example they will always look up to and strive for, and he will leave a hole that can never be filled.
Ray is survived by his beloved wife Diane of Wayne, three daughters; Tracy Solowski of Wayne, Lisa Velicky and her husband Paul of Parsippany, and Dr. Nancy Solowski and her husband Kevin Kampherstein of Maryland, eight grandchildren; Alex, Tristan, Christopher, Nicholas, Sarah, Paulie, Breyen, and Eme, his sister; Carol Lloyd of East Windsor, NJ, sisters-in-law; Margaret Solowski of Sewaren, NJ, and Susan Mortaro and her husband Louis of Wayne, and many dear nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his brother Joseph in 1993, and by his brother-in-law Philip Lloyd in 2000.
Guestbook
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.