Submitted by: Mary Jo Koran

 SBT 11/27/1999

J. Edward Soellner

Nov. 21, 1999

J. Edward Soellner was born in South Bend, Ind., in 1910, and lived here until 1977. As a teen he attended Culver Military Academy in Indiana, and was in the famed Black Horse Troop, which performed in parades, inaugurals and festive occasions.

He became an outstanding musician and studied saxophone and clarinet with Dick Stabile in Chicago. He traveled with bands, entertained on the Ocean Liner Il de France crossing the Atlantic. He continued playing and touring and teaching all his life.

He became a top salesman for Northwestern National Life Insurance Company, and won his and his new wife Lorraine's honeymoon trip in 1940 to the New York World's Fair.

In 1943, he entered the U.S. Army and trained at Ft. Bragg, Ky., in the Tank Corp, becoming a commander when his group was sent to the U.S. Theatre in Europe during World War II. When his musical ability was discovered, he was quickly moved to the lead sax and clarinet musician in the "FOR MEN ONLY" entertainment show which played all over Europe for troops under fire and close to the front lines.

The group was subject to fire and strafing. The morning after he was transferred to "FORMENONLY" his tank battalion fought in the Battle of the Ardennes Forest and many tanks and men were destroyed.

When World War II was concluded Mr. Soellner returned to the States on the same Il de France liner which had been converted to a troop ship.

Mr. Soellner entered Civil Service on return and became a Defense Contract Administrator for the U.S. Defense Dept. until he retired in 1977 to make his home in the Orlando area.

He continued to teach and toured with many musical groups such as Liberace and Myron Floren. He was a member of the Altamonte Springs Jazz ensemble. He was a long time member of the American Federation of Musicians. Several of his students won scholarships in music at the university level. He attended Indiana University, Seminole Community College and U.C.F.

He was a member of Altamonte Springs Chapel, Altamonte Springs. He leaves his wife Lorraine of 59 years, of Casselberry, Fla., sons, Randy J. of Charlotte, N.C., and Alan Soellner of Winter Springs, Fla; a step granddaughter and a step great-grandson.

Carey Hand Garden Chapel Home, Orlando is handling arrangements.