Emitt LeRoy Soldin
Obituary
Former Juneau resident Emitt LeRoy Soldin, 78, died Nov. 11, 2002, at the Providence Extended Care Facility in Anchorage.
A memorial service will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 23 at the Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum in Anchorage.
He was born in Skagway on Oct. 14, 1924, to Hans and Mavis Soldin. He graduated from Skagway High School in 1942. He also attended the University of Washington in 1942-43. In 1943-44 he worked for Ellis Airlines as a mechanic helper on single-engine seaplanes in Ketchikan until he was called to duty in the U.S. Army Air Force.
Soldin served as an airframe and power plant mechanic in Merced, Calif., for the 482nd Army Air Forces, until honorably discharged. 1949-52 he was a pilot and A&P mechanic for Alaska Coastal Airlines in Juneau. In 1953-60 Soldin worked as a pilot mechanic for the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife Service in Juneau where he flew a Grumman Goose. He later worked for the Federal Aviation Administration as a flight inspection pilot. He later became an airspace flight inspection pilot using DC-3 and C-123 aircraft, and retired from the FAA in 1978. He later volunteered as a search pilot and coordinator for the Civil Air Patrol until 1991.
He was a member of Igloo 15 Pioneers of Alaska, historian member OX5 Aviation Pioneers, the Alaska Airmen's Association and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association.
"Emitt was a pioneer aviator in Alaska who befriended anyone with an interest in flying or aircraft," his family said.
He is survived by his three children, Lori Mitchell of Anchorage, Kenneth Soldin of Anchorage and Rick Soldin of Kingsport, Tenn.; sisters, Irene Hendrickson of Skagway, Inez Knorr of Skagway and Tooky Harlow of Gig Harbor, Wash.; seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be sent to the Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum, 4721 Aircraft Drive, Anchorage, AK 99502.