David John Soltesz

David J. Soltesz, 79, of State College, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, October 21, 2025, surrounded by the family who loved him so deeply.
He was born on September 23, 1946, in San Diego, California, to John and Mary (Meredith) Soltesz. On November 30, 1969, he married the love of his life, Verda (Parks) Soltesz, who survives at home.
David graduated from Wakefield High School in Arlington, Virginia, in 1964 and attended Massanutten Military Academy in Woodstock, Virginia. In 1966, he was drafted into the United States Army and completed basic training at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, followed by Advanced Individual Training at Fort McClellan, Alabama. He was then selected to attend Officer Candidate School (OCS) at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, and received his commission as a Second Lieutenant on September 22, 1967.
His first assignment as a commissioned officer was at Fort Polk, Louisiana, where he served as an S3 with the 5th Advanced Individual Training Brigade. In October of 1968, he received orders for Vietnam and served as a platoon leader with the 199th Light Infantry Brigade near Saigon. After six months, he was assigned to lead the brigade's engineer company, supporting infantry operations.
David completed his Vietnam tour in September of 1969 and returned to Fort Campbell, Kentucky, where he joined the 51st Combat Engineer Battalion. He later completed Airborne training, earning his Parachutist Badge, and was assigned to the 539th Engineer Detachment, 1st Special Forces Group, in Okinawa, Japan, as a Green Beret Paratrooper. During his service, he was deployed twice to Guam to support civil action missions in the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. During his second deployment, he was injured in a C-130 aircraft crash in 1972, which led to his honorable release from active duty in June of 1973.
For his service, David was awarded two Bronze Stars, two Army Commendation Medals, the Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with Device.
Following his service, David attended the Pennsylvania State University, earning a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering in 1976. He went on to work for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in San Antonio, Texas.
In 1993, he was assigned to Moldova, where he helped construct a building that would later become the U.S. Embassy. He later served in Egypt from 1993-1996, overseeing the construction of an air base for the Egyptian Air Force. From 1996 to 2002, he was in the State of Qatar, where he managed the construction of a U.S. Army military prepositioning site. David then retired from federal service in 2002.
For all his accomplishments, David's greatest joy came from his family. He was a devoted husband, proud father, and loving "Poppy" to his grandchildren!
David was a man of quiet strength, and sharp wit. He was happiest on the golf course while being an Elk's member at Mountain View Country Club for 15 years, or surrounded by his friends, or simply home with his family. His life was defined not only by his service and achievements, but by his humility and his humor. He will be missed beyond measure and remembered always for his bravery, his loyalty and his love.
In addition to his wife of 56 years, Verda, David is survived by two daughters, Shannon Soltesz and Eren Roan (Aaron), and two grandchildren, Cole Snyder and Keegan Roan.