Joseph Soldat

05/04/1926 — 09/12/2017

From Richland, WA | Born in Chicago, IL

Joseph Soldat

Joseph K. Soldat, age 91, was welcomed into the arms of Our Heavenly Father on September 12, 2017.  A beloved son, husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather, he lived a full life dedicated to loving his family, his country and his work. He was a man of immense faith that sustained and guided him throughout his life.

Joe was born on May 4, 1926 in Chicago, Illinois to parents Joseph and Annette Soldat.  He was soon joined by a younger sister, Evelyn, and they grew up together in Springfield, Illinois. After Joe graduated high school, the family moved to Denver, Colorado. In 1948, Joe earned a BS in Chemical Engineering at the University of Colorado.

Joe came to Richland in 1948 to work for General Electric at the Hanford site in the area of environmental measurements. Through this field experience, he developed a keen interest in the fate of environmental radionuclides and devoted much of his life to environmental pathway analysis and modeling. He made one of the first detailed analyses of dose estimates to individuals living near AEC/DOE sites. In 1965, Battelle began operating the Pacific Northwest (National) Laboratory, and Joe worked there until his retirement in 1995. During that time Joe, developed dose analysis techniques that are the industry standard and still used today. 

After Joe retired from Battelle, he worked for Dade Moeller & Associates as a technical consultant and often was called upon to offer expert testimony in the downwinder cases.  Joe received many awards and honors for his work as an environmental health physicist. Among them: Health Physics Society Fellow, the Distinguished Scientific Achievement Award, the Herb Parker Award and member of Tau Beta Pi. He contributed to several books, authored more than 30 publications and wrote over 100 technical reports.

In his younger days, Joe was one of the first members of the local Mountaineers club and later took up bowling and was in a league into his 80s.  Joe was a charter member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church and an honorary charter member of Richland Lutheran Church.  Joe enjoyed writing poetry and wrote poems for special family events. He loved to attend Bomber Basketball games with his friends; and later became a UW football fan when his son Dennis played on the team.  Joe also enjoyed cribbage, playing every week with his dear friends, Dale, Ron, Jerry, and Bill, up to his passing.

Joe always had a smile on his face and truly enjoyed meeting people. He enjoyed lunches at the Spudnut Shop where his coconut covered spuddie was always ready for him, and where he could work on his crossword puzzle and the daily word Jumble.  He loved working in his yard and tending his garden. Many family and friends enjoyed jams and pies made from his apples, cherries, strawberries, raspberries and pears. And he happily gave raspberry plants to anyone who asked. 

Joe was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph and Annette Soldat, sister, Evelyn Grundmeyer and wife, Mary Soldat.  Joe is survived by three children; Kelvin (Meg), Kathryn Schoof (Craig) and Dennis (Raelynn), four grandchildren; Tyler, Lilly, Jazmyn & Carson and two great-grandchildren; Claire and Hudson.

A memorial service will be held at Richland Lutheran Church at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 23, with a reception immediately following. Memorial tributes in Joe’s name may be made to Tri-Cities Food Bank or Meals on Wheels.  Joe was a world-renowned scientist and the kindest, gentlest and most loving father and grandfather anyone could have.

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Joseph Soldat

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  • It was a real pleasure and an honor to know and work with Joe Soldat. He had a profound impact on the health physics profession and our community; he will be fondly missed.
    Joe worked his whole career at GE / PNNL, where he became a world renowned expert on environmental radiation transport and effects. In addition, Joe was a strong supporter of the Health Physics Society and its Columbia Chapter (CCHPS). Joe was a founding member of CCHPS and served as it President in 1965 and was a life-member. In 1988, Joe received the Herbert M. Parker Award. In 2002, Joe received the John P. Corley Meritorious Service Award. In 1999, Joe was recognized as the CCHPS Volunteer of the Year. In 1986, Joe received the Health Physics Society’s Fellow Award and in 2007 the Distinguished Scientific Achievement Award.
    In short, Joe Soldat was the most widely recognized and rewarded health physicist in Hanford history, all of which were richly deserved.

    Jerry Martin
    September 21, 2017
    Kennewick, WA
  • Joe and Mary were among our first friends at Good Shepard Church in Richland when we moved here
    in 1963, and remained friends forever after. I will miss seeing Joe around, especially whenever I went to the Spudnut shop!

    Vicky Willingham
    September 20, 2017
    Pasco, WA
  • I have many fond memories of serving with Joe on the Columbia Chapter Health Physics Society (CCHPS) Awards Committee. It was my extreme pleasure to know Joe and be a part of his well deserved HPS National award for Distinguished Scientific Achievement. Joe’s contributions to environmental pathway analysis remain the backbone of environmental modeling today. Joe your sincere honesty, smile, and dry wit will be sorely missed, thanks for being an inspiration to me and the HP community at large!!

    Richard Pierson
    September 19, 2017
    Kennewick, WA
  • Wonderfully and truly said in the obituary . What a great neighbor as was their entire family . Will miss his sly humor and his contributions wherever intelligence was needed. He even was quite the competitor at our ping pong table while having fun at the same time. Can still hear his laugh and exclamations as he played or told stories and related facts about the world .

    John Yesberger
    September 18, 2017
    Seattle , Washington
  • Meg and family so sorry for your loss

    Teresa Hall
    September 17, 2017
    Benton City
  • A great man from a great family.

    Dan & Becky Haverfield
    September 16, 2017
    Ravensdale, WA
  • I worked with Joe at Battelle for many years. Joe was a mentor for me from when I started at Battelle in January 1984, but Joe never look at it as mentoring, he just worked with you as a team. He was one of the experience members of the group, so we all drew on his wisdom and knowledge. Great guy to work with, but it was more than that we were like a work related family.

    Robert Stenner
    September 16, 2017
    Richland, Washington
  • Joe always received me with a hug and a smile. He was always kind and welcomed my precious daughter into his family with love. He always remembered us with beautiful greeting cards reflecting our importance to him, never forgetting the grandchildren’s birthdays wherein every card spoke of God’s love. He will be sorely missed. To the Soldats, I am so sorry for your loss of this great man. May your thoughts of him being with God, Joe’s and God’s intended destination for him, bring you comfort. God bless!!

    Verneice Skinner
    September 15, 2017
    Richland Wa
  • It was a real pleasure and an honor to know and work with Joe Soldat. He had a profound impact on the health physics profession and our community; he will be fondly missed.
    Joe worked his whole career at GE / PNNL, where he became a world renowned expert on environmental radiation transport and effects. In addition, Joe was a strong supporter of the Health Physics Society and its Columbia Chapter (CCHPS). Joe was a founding member of CCHPS and served as it President in 1965 and was a life-member. In 1988, Joe received the Herbert M. Parker Award. In 2002, Joe received the John P. Corley Meritorious Service Award. In 1999, Joe was recognized as the CCHPS Volunteer of the Year. In 1986, Joe received the Health Physics Society’s Fellow Award and in 2007 the Distinguished Scientific Achievement Award.
    In short, Joe Soldat was the most widely recognized and rewarded health physicist in Hanford history, all of which were richly deserved.

    Jerry Martin
    September 21, 2017
    Kennewick, WA
  • Joe and Mary were among our first friends at Good Shepard Church in Richland when we moved here
    in 1963, and remained friends forever after. I will miss seeing Joe around, especially whenever I went to the Spudnut shop!

    Vicky Willingham
    September 20, 2017
    Pasco, WA
  • I have many fond memories of serving with Joe on the Columbia Chapter Health Physics Society (CCHPS) Awards Committee. It was my extreme pleasure to know Joe and be a part of his well deserved HPS National award for Distinguished Scientific Achievement. Joe’s contributions to environmental pathway analysis remain the backbone of environmental modeling today. Joe your sincere honesty, smile, and dry wit will be sorely missed, thanks for being an inspiration to me and the HP community at large!!

    Richard Pierson
    September 19, 2017
    Kennewick, WA
  • Wonderfully and truly said in the obituary . What a great neighbor as was their entire family . Will miss his sly humor and his contributions wherever intelligence was needed. He even was quite the competitor at our ping pong table while having fun at the same time. Can still hear his laugh and exclamations as he played or told stories and related facts about the world .

    John Yesberger
    September 18, 2017
    Seattle , Washington
  • Meg and family so sorry for your loss

    Teresa Hall
    September 17, 2017
    Benton City
  • A great man from a great family.

    Dan & Becky Haverfield
    September 16, 2017
    Ravensdale, WA
  • I worked with Joe at Battelle for many years. Joe was a mentor for me from when I started at Battelle in January 1984, but Joe never look at it as mentoring, he just worked with you as a team. He was one of the experience members of the group, so we all drew on his wisdom and knowledge. Great guy to work with, but it was more than that we were like a work related family.

    Robert Stenner
    September 16, 2017
    Richland, Washington
  • Joe always received me with a hug and a smile. He was always kind and welcomed my precious daughter into his family with love. He always remembered us with beautiful greeting cards reflecting our importance to him, never forgetting the grandchildren’s birthdays wherein every card spoke of God’s love. He will be sorely missed. To the Soldats, I am so sorry for your loss of this great man. May your thoughts of him being with God, Joe’s and God’s intended destination for him, bring you comfort. God bless!!

    Verneice Skinner
    September 15, 2017
    Richland Wa
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