Kenneth Dale Sollars, 87, Olympia area resident and Retired Navel Officer, died Wednesday, December 12, 2018 at his home in Lacey, WA.
Ken was born on July 2, 1931 in Tarkio, Missouri to Frank Howard and Esther Marie (Gigous) Sollars Sr. He attended Tarkio High School and was on the Missouri 8 Man High School Championship Football Team. After graduation he joined the US Navy in 1949 where he served in the Korean Conflict and in Vietnam as munitions officer and on flight deck of the USS Constitution. He loved that ship and crew! He was lastly he was a Commissioned Warrant Officer in Charge of Ordnance at Miramar, CA when he retired after 24 years of service on June 30, 1972. He moved to Olympia.
On March 16th, 1973, Chief Warrant Officer Sollars married Judith D. Edminster-Stokes in Olympia, WA. Judy resides in Lacey.
Ken went to work with his son Ken Jr. building homes in the Olympia area for many years. He later was the State Grain Inspector in Tacoma. But the job that really touched his heart was when he went to work for Touchstone Juvenile Rehabilitation. He loved working with the kids and making a difference in their lives and helping them put their lives in order.
Ken was a member of Westwood Baptist Church. He enjoyed fishing, golfing, traveling, chopping wood, watching football and reading Zane Grey novels.
Ken is survived by sons: Kenneth D. (Anita) Sollars Jr. of Lemore, CA, David Stokes and Mike Stokes of Olympia, WA; Daughters: Cheri (Paul) Jarrett of Yelm, WA and LeeAnne White of Olympia, WA; Sixteen grandchildren and Twenty three great grandchildren and One great great granddaughter. He was preceded in death by a brother Frank Sollars and a sister Madeline Campbell.
There will be a graveside with US Navy Honors on Friday, January 18th at 11 AM at the Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent, WA. A Celebration of Ken’s life will be held on January 19th at (TIME) at Westwood Baptist Church in West Olympia.
A message of condolence or of a memory can be sent to the family at www.fernhillfuneral.com
Arrangements are entrusted to Twibell’s Fern Hill Funeral Home in Aberdeen, WA.
Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians)
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Good Conduct Medal
Korean Service Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Navy Achievement Medal
Navy Commendation Medal
Navy Expeditionary Medal
Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation
Navy Occupation Service Medal
Navy Presidential Unit Citation
U.S. Presidential Citation - Navy and Marine Corps
United Nations Service Medal
US Navy
Vietnam Campaign Medal
Vietnam Service Medal
The insignias listed here may be subject to copyright and / or trademarked. Those copyrights and trademarks are owned by the respective organizations. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Kenneth Sollars, please visit our flower store.
Ken was born on July 2, 1931 in Tarkio, Missouri to Frank Howard and Esther Marie (Gigous) Sollars Sr. He attended Tarkio High School and was on the Missouri 8 Man High School Championship Football Team. After graduation he joined the US Navy in 1949 where he served in the Korean Conflict and in Vietnam as munitions officer and on flight deck of the USS Constitution. He loved that ship and crew! He was lastly he was a Commissioned Warrant Officer in Charge of Ordnance at Miramar, CA when he retired after 24 years of service on June 30, 1972. He moved to Olympia.
On March 16th, 1973, Chief Warrant Officer Sollars married Judith D. Edminster-Stokes in Olympia, WA. Judy resides in Lacey.
Ken went to work with his son Ken Jr. building homes in the Olympia area for many years. He later was the State Grain Inspector in Tacoma. But the job that really touched his heart was when he went to work for Touchstone Juvenile Rehabilitation. He loved working with the kids and making a difference in their lives and helping them put their lives in order.
Ken was a member of Westwood Baptist Church. He enjoyed fishing, golfing, traveling, chopping wood, watching football and reading Zane Grey novels.
Ken is survived by sons: Kenneth D. (Anita) Sollars Jr. of Lemore, CA, David Stokes and Mike Stokes of Olympia, WA; Daughters: Cheri (Paul) Jarrett of Yelm, WA and LeeAnne White of Olympia, WA; Sixteen grandchildren and Twenty three great grandchildren and One great great granddaughter. He was preceded in death by a brother Frank Sollars and a sister Madeline Campbell.
There will be a graveside with US Navy Honors on Friday, January 18th at 11 AM at the Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent, WA. A Celebration of Ken’s life will be held on January 19th at (TIME) at Westwood Baptist Church in West Olympia.
A message of condolence or of a memory can be sent to the family at www.fernhillfuneral.com
Arrangements are entrusted to Twibell’s Fern Hill Funeral Home in Aberdeen, WA.
Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians)
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Good Conduct Medal
Korean Service Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Navy Achievement Medal
Navy Commendation Medal
Navy Expeditionary Medal
Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation
Navy Occupation Service Medal
Navy Presidential Unit Citation
U.S. Presidential Citation - Navy and Marine Corps
United Nations Service Medal
US Navy
Vietnam Campaign Medal
Vietnam Service Medal
The insignias listed here may be subject to copyright and / or trademarked. Those copyrights and trademarks are owned by the respective organizations. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Kenneth Sollars, please visit our flower store.
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