John M. Solak

On Friday, July 13, 2012, John M. Solak of Arlington, VA passed away. He was a 4th Degree Knight of Columbus and member of the Cosmopolitan Club. Husband of the late Jane P. Solak; father of J. Michael, Timothy Paul and Maryanne Solak. Grandfather of Katherine. He is also survived by his nephew Mike Solak; niece Michelle Mirabello and a host great nieces and nephews. The family will be receiving friends at the Murphy Funeral Home, 4510 Wilson Blvd on Wednesday, July 18 from 2-4 and 6-8pm with the Rosary recited at 7pm. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday, July 19 at the Cathedral of St. Thomas More, 3901 Cathedral Lane, Arlington, VA 22203 at 10:30am. Interment Columbia Gardens Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Loyola Retreat House, PO box 9. Faulkner, MD 20632

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JOHN M. SOLAK died at his home on July 13, 2012. John was born on April 9, 1919 in Hatfield, Massachusetts, the son of Michael and Katherine Solak. While growing up he worked on local farms in the Northampton area, and he graduated from high school at Smith Academy in 1937.

After high school, John moved to Washington, D. C. The country was still in the midst of the Depression, and he took a variety of jobs and lived in a variety of places throughout the District. Due to these early experiences John was always proud of the fact that he knew the Washington area like the back of his hand; if you needed directions to anywhere in Washington, you just had to ask John.

In 1940, he was drafted into the Army, and he served in various posts until his discharge from the Army Air Corps in 1946. Upon finishing his military service he came back to Washington and took a job as a life insurance salesman for the John Hancock Insurance Company in downtown D. C., an organization that he stayed associated with for more than 60 years. As time went on, he became an independent insurance broker representing numerous insurance companies.

John met his beloved wife, Jane, while she worked at his office, and they married in 1949, the same year that he graduated from Southeastern University. Although Jane passed away in 1988, she was never out of John’s daily thoughts. John and Jane had three children, Mike, Maryanne, and Tim. John is also survived by his granddaughter, Katie, and his nephew, Michael Solak, and niece, Michelle Mirabello.

John was a great salesman because he was the proverbial “people person”. He could walk into a room of strangers and leave it as everybody’s friend. He had a warm and charitable disposition, and will be remembered for all the many kindnesses he performed for others. In his retirement one of his many enjoyments was helping out delivering meals for the Meals on Wheels program.

A devout Catholic, John was a member of St. Thomas More Cathedral parish for more than 55 years and prayed his rosary everyday.

After his retirement he liked to travel, participate in the Cosmopolitan Club, visit with friends and family, and follow his favorite football, baseball, and other sports teams.

From his days in the Army John learned to play poker, a skill he never forgot. He was an avid poker player, and regularly played cards with his friends up till the time of his death.

Although he never made it to the world series of poker players, John was a good player and, more importantly, a good man. John knew when to hold’em, knew when to fold’em, and Heaven holds him now.