Ida G. Soldatek Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Ida G. Soldatek was born on April 10, 1928. She passed away peacefully in her sleep on Easter Sunday morning April 17, 2022; just one week after having celebrated her 94th birthday. Ida is survived by her children and their families; Ida’s eldest daughter, Julia Marie Kornas and her spouse Mark Steven Kornas, their daughter Dr. Rebecca Louise Kornas-Sell, and her spouse Dr. Evan William Sell, their children Charlotte Ainsley Kornas-Sell and Eleanor Ruth Kornas-Sell. Ida’s second oldest daughter Karen Louise Rist and her children, Abigail Hannah and Trevor Anthony Rist. Ida’s youngest son, Lewis Joseph Soldatek. Ida was born on 37 Church Street in Highland Park, Michigan to parents Inez Mathison (Boulton) her mother and her father Lewis Theodore Mathison predeceased. They moved to Canada when Ida was 1 year old and they lived there until she was about 10. They moved to Detroit where she was raised on 7 Mile Road and Gratiot in Detroit for most of her childhood. Ida’s ancestors came from Scandinavia and she was very proud of her heritage. They were the first generation farming and homesteading in Fergus Falls, Minnesota. She is preceded in death by her two older siblings, her sister Hilma Louisa Goodrich and her brother Milan Reginald Mathison. She was the baby sister by 10 years. She liked to play in the garden and pulled pranks on her older siblings. Ida was close with her sister despite their age difference they shared a wonderful friendship. Education was important to Ida. She had excellent penmanship and calligraphy taught to her by her father. She enjoyed cooking taught to her by her mother. She dropped out of high school in 9th grade to take care of her mother after a stroke. She began working nights in an office to help support her family. She loved going dancing in her youth and after one night out at the Grande Ballroom she and her friend Joan went out after for coffee and doughnuts (in their bare feet) at the Selden Inn. There she met Leo working behind the counter. She then and there declared she “would marry that man” and she later did. She was married to Leo B. Soldatek for 25 years. Despite being divorced, she considered him to be the great love of her life before his passing at the age of 59. Together they had 3 biological children Julia, Karen, and Lewis and one unofficially adopted daughter Debbie Paxton. This kind sweet woman did not give birth to Debbie but adopted her into their family at the age of 10. She loved and raised her as her own along with her three children. In Debbie’s own words, “I couldn’t have been more blessed to have been part of this beautiful family. She made me who I am today. Always stood by my side through ups and downs. She didn’t have to love and take care of me, but she did.” She would call and chat for hours and always when I said, “I love you bunches!” Her response would be, “I love you too my darling, know that I love you!” Debbie says, “I am blessed and forever grateful to have had her as a mom.’’ Ida had a special relationship with her son-in-law Mark Kornas. He was part of the family for over 50 yrs. Mark was always there, he helped her with anything she needed. Always lending a hand on projects and home repairs. He was a more than gracious host for all the important holidays. Making sure the family was well fed and looked after was his specialty. He lovingly refers to her as mom. She cherished her family deeply. Her children were her pride and joy. She was the strongest woman anyone could know and often asked, how strong does one have to be? She worked hard to provide for her family. She was a proud mom of all of her children even if she was harsh at times, they always knew she cared so much and just wanted the best for them. She would do anything in her power to support her children in anything they wanted to do. She loved her grandchildren, Rebecca Kornas-Sell, Abigail and Trevor Rist. She was known to them as Mimi and was happy to be. She was proud of her grandchildren, especially her granddaughter Rebecca who became an ER Doctor and assisted with her care even at a distance. She encouraged her granddaughter Abigail in the arts. She took special joy in her grandson working in culinary like his grandfather and his great-grandmother before him. She loved Debbie’s children Sean, Eddie and Josh Paxton too as well as the grandchildren, Eli and Jayden. She often would send gifts to them she picked out herself for them and they would send her cards back. Ida absolutely adored her two Great grand babies Charlotte and Eleanor; Rebecca's daughters and Julia (Gigis) granddaughters. She was beyond enamored with them and affectionately referred to them as her “Great babies.” She was so honored to have gotten to live long enough to meet them and to spend a special Christmas together. Though they were far away in Denver she often FaceTimed to watch them play and grow. Ida as a great grandma professed all the highest hopes and expectations for their lives and futures. She loved her extended family and was especially grateful to have visits from her nieces in her final days and months. Her sister's daughter Ceceila Underwood and her brother's daughter Sally Ahlich. She was preceded in death by her nephew and sister's son Theodore Goodrich. Celia's children are her great nephews Curtis and Matthew Rissmiller. She leaves behind great-great nieces and nephews, Curtis’s children, Maxwell and Arden along with Matthew's children Joshua, Charles and Anna Rissmiller. She had a special bond with her great-great niece Anna who she affectionately called “My Annushka.” Who came all the way from Pennsylvania to spend time with her in Michigan. Ida was proud, strong and funny. She worked hard for everything she had. Ida was drawn to people and conversation. She was a bartender at the Rainbow Lounge on McNichols in Detroit which she said was her favorite job. She would strike up a conversation with anyone, anywhere and about anything. Her regulars invited her to apply at their factory and she was hired as one of the first females to work as a machine operator for Auto City sheet metal which is now Lear Corporation. She was the original Rosie the riveter and did spot welding on the auto assembly line for over 20 years. She was truly proud of her hard work and loved by all her coworkers. Ida loved to travel and went to many places with her family; Up North, the Jersey shore, Canada, Las Vegas, Pennsylvania, Bahamas, New Orleans, Florida, Montana and Washington DC. Ida enjoyed hearing stories and telling tales of her life; especially over a cup of coffee, a cold beer or a game of cards. She always wanted to play Euchre on holidays and often won. She loved having her people gathered around her. Ida was the life of the party. Even at parties where she was your plus one she quickly became the number one! She loved her country and always had her flag flying proudly in the breeze. She enjoyed sports and supported all her Detroit teams, especially the Tigers and Redwings. She liked NASCAR and Jeff Gordon. Her son Lewis took her for a parade lap in his Firebird around Michigan International Speedway. A highlight in her life that she referred to even on her last day. She was always so thoughtful and bought you anything she thought you might like or need. Her heart was always thinking of others. Asking after friends of friends and wondering how everyone was doing. She loved flowers, especially orchids and lilies more than anything and she always had plants growing. She liked games and cards, she took great pleasure in beating her granddaughter in Gin, her Abba-dabba doo rarely won a hand. They bonded over their shared love of the arts, music, dancing, theater, opera and ballet. She instilled an appreciation for all things creative. She loved watching the Olympics, especially ice skating and gymnastics. She was always a critic of outfits, gowns and costumes. She liked classic movies and high fashion. She loved all things that were beautiful and brought her joy. She loved getting dressed up, she liked to feel like a lady and took pride in her appearance, she always had her hair and nails done. Ida loved to have an outfit matched with shoes, purse, hat and gloves in her day. She liked watching her stories and had so many favorite TV shows. She watched game shows and would often yell the answers at the TV. She was fiercely independent and lived on her own until she was 93 years old. She spent the last year of her life living with her daughter Karen and her two children Abigail and Trevor. She said often how grateful she was that she was able to spend that time with her family and not be in a nursing home. She needed extra mobility help towards the end and her daughter Julia came to stay and help care for her. Her daily helper Margot became fast friends with her and she fell in love with Ida right along with the rest of us. Her favorite color was blue. The best dresses she had were blue with a full skirt. Blue was all of the best things “the sky and the sea.” She loved animals and cherished her pets. She loved cats and horses especially. She shared nearly 20 years of her life with her Siamese cat Sunny who was a gift from her granddaughter. He passed just a few months before her. Ida made a lasting impression on anyone she met. Her children's friends were her friends and many came to honor and celebrate her as if she were their family as well. She made friends everywhere she went; her pharmacist, doctors, nurses, meals on wheels and anyone, even strangers who encountered her, became her special friend. Her Dr. K was “her Sweetheart” and she loved everyone at that office all dearly. She never missed a trick and was sharp as a tack right up until the end. Her body was failing, but her spirit was strong. Ida was always there to call on and you could count on her to listen to the good times as well as the bad. She always gave good advice. She was the angel on your shoulder and would say “whenever you're traveling I'm right there with you.” When she would speak to you she held your face and spoke as though to your soul. She could read anyone like a book. All who knew her waited for her words of wisdom, she was the queen of one liners, quips and sayings of which we will remember forever. Her words, her hands and her heart will not be forgotten but forever with us as we continue on. She was truly a strong, brave, and unselfish woman. Ida will be missed dearly and will stay with us in all of our hearts. Viewing on Friday, April 29th at the Wm. Sullivan & Son Funeral Home, 705 W. 11 Mile Road in Royal Oak, Michigan from 2-8:00 pm with a 7:00 pm Memory Sharing event. Saturday, April 30th, 10:00 am viewing/coffee hour at Zion Lutheran Church, 143 Albany Street in Ferndale, Michigan followed by 11:00 am church service. Burial immediately following at Cadillac Memorial Garden East, 38425 Garfield Road in Clinton Twp., Michigan. *No procession Repast/luncheon at BJ's Brewhouse on Hall Road, 14455 Lakeside Circle, immediately following from 2-4:00 pm. Please send donations to any of the following links in honor of Ida. https://www.michiganhumane.org/tributes/ https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/donate https://pva.org/

Ida G. Soldatek

April 10, 1928 - April 17, 2022