Peter J. Solari, 94

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. —  Peter "Pete" Joseph Solari, 94, of 7 Ivory Street, North Adams, died Sunday April 25, 2021, at home. Born in North Adams on May 10, 1926, he was the son of Ernest and Severina (Buletti) Solari. He attended North Adams schools and graduated from Drury High School. He worked briefly at the former Sprague Electric before enlisting in the U.S. Navy on May 5, 1944. He served in the South Pacific aboard the U.S.S. Rockbridge during World War II until his honorable discharge on June 5, 1946. After returning home, he was employed by Arnold Print Works and later General Electric Power Transforming Division in Pittsfield for over thirty-five years until his retirement in 1988. He was a lifelong communicant of the former St. Francis of Assisi Church and St. Elizabeth of Hungary in North Adams. He was a lifelong member of VFW Post 996 in North Adams. He enjoyed vegetable gardening and spending time with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren and his two dear cousins Fred Solari of Adams and Peter Solari of Waldwick, NJ. We will miss his colorful stories of his life as the son of Swiss immigrants and his service during World War II.

His wife, the former Jane Ann Delisle, died March 14, 2010. They were married on July 21, 1956, in the former Notre Dame du Sacre Church in North Adams. He leaves four daughters; Lynn Nelson of North Adams, Anne Douglas and her husband Glen of Castro Valley, CA, Kathleen Auerbach and her husband Louis of Belmont, and Melissa Pehlert and her husband Craig of Lenox; seven grandchildren, Sarah Maher and her husband Samir of Lanesboro, Seth Nelson and his wife Kate of East Montpelier, VT, Jake Douglas, Caroline Douglas, Jessica Auerbach, Rosemary Pehlert, and Julie Pehlert; and four great-grandchildren; Max and Owen Maher and Jack and Liam Nelson; and several nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by his beloved son-in-law Stephen Nelson and his four siblings; Armand Solari, Lena Calvano, Alfred Solari, and Rita Lemanski.

He also leaves his longtime caregiver, neighbor, and dear friend, Heather Tooley Durocher, for whom we are eternally grateful.

Services are private and there will be no calling hours. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Hospice Care of the Berkshires or VFW Post 996 in c/o Flynn and Dagnoli-Montagna Home for Funerals Central Chapel, 74 Marshall Street, North Adams, MA 01247. To add to the Book of Memories, please visit www.flynndagnolifuneralhomes.com