Gregory P. SOLTYS

WILLIAMSBURG - Gregory Phillip Soltys, 56, of Schenck Drive in Williamsburg, passed on to new worlds Tuesday, July 6, after a long, brave struggle with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease).
During his peaceful, merciful death, he was lovingly cared for by his longtime companion, Paula Durham; his brothers, Stephen and Mark Soltys; caregiver, Brittany Wilson; and friends, Larry Stillwell and Susan Novy. He is survived by a wide circle of appreciative and admiring friends and family, including nieces, Josie, Corrina and Shila Soltys; nephew, Townzen Soltys;, sisters-in-law, Barbara Dunkle and Marilee Taylor; and dear friends, Terry Acciardo, Dee Morse, Jasper Crawford; and others too numerous to list. For the past two years or so, he had the good fortune to receive skilled and loving caregiving from Kiyonna Harris of Agape Personal Healthcare, among others. He also benefited greatly from the help of Sarah Stein of the ALS Association and from the professional care of Sentara Hospice.
Greg was preceded in death by both of his parents, Josephine Jean Baughman Soltys and Leo Stephen Soltys Jr.
Growing up, he lived in California, Hawaii, Japan, and Virginia. Halfway through high school, he was taken in by Barbara Jandebeur in Kennebunk, Maine; who became a second mother to him. Among other distinctions, he played football and was the K.H.S. homecoming king his senior year. Greg attended the University of Maine at Farmington for a year and a half.
Greg worked in and around Williamsburg for decades refinishing furniture and restoring antiques. Until his ALS took away control of his hands, arms, and legs, he worked for many years at Charlie's Antiques in Toano, where he was loved like family by owners, Charlie and Suzie Crawford and their children, Katie and Cory.
Greg was diagnosed with ALS in the spring of 2007. As the disease took away more and more control of his limbs and muscles, at every step he used his imagination, his sense of humor, and his force of will to live as normal a life as possible. He refused to give in to helplessness, hopelessness, or discouragement. "Turning stumbling blocks into stepping stones," was his philosophy. His positive, shining spirit throughout was a joy and an inspiration to those who shared his struggle. He never lost the natural enthusiasm which drew people to him his whole life.
Greg liked to say that he was driving a bus as he explored the world of ALS and the devastation it created in his life. He was the bus driver and his doctors, caregivers, family and friends were all passengers on his journey. So were LA filmmaker, Nadine El-Khoury and her crew, who included Greg along with other PALS (People with ALS) in their documentary "Better Days."
No one knew exactly where the bus was going, but Greg was driving, using GPS to chart the course and figuring out which turns to take. There were many turns where he hoped for a cure, but these each proved to be a dead end. Greg made sure it was a good trip, though; and in the end, healing came, if not a cure. Through the long, slow, grinding process of losing his body to ALS, Greg healed his heart through love shared with Paula and his brothers and friends, and he healed his spirit, which learned to soar free from his body with the deeply nourishing support of meditation, transformative energy work, and acupuncture.
Now Greg has moved on. He will be fondly remembered by all of his passengers, who will smile when they remember his infectious laugh, his integrity, and his beguiling way with words. He was a writer and a poet, a mystic, a lover, an avid card player, a musician, a baseball fan, a flirt, and a fun-lover. He touched our hearts and stirred our imaginations. He will be missed dearly, but his loving passengers are happy to know he is finally free and on the road again. Thanks for the ride, bus driver.
A celebration of Greg's life is planned for the fall.
In lieu of flowers, please support the ALS Association and the Williamsburg area Hospice House. And Greg would really like it if you'd learn about ALS and what life is like for people with ALS. View and post condolences on our online guestbook at dailypress.com/guestbooks.