Edward Soulia

Edward Soulia, loving husband, father, and grandfather (Poppy) died at home on neember 4, 2018 after a brief illness. ??He was born on January 18, 1931 in Floral Park, NY, the only child of Catherine Ammerman aneedward J. Soulia. He is survived by his wife, Patricia Monahan Soulia, daughter, Renee Soulia, grandchildren, Michael and Lauren Billy, of Durham, sister-in-laws, Teresa Monahan of Phoenix, Arizona and Dottie Monahan, of New Hyde Park, New York, and cousin, Joseph Vasta, of Stamford Connecticut. ??Ed was also known as ???Unee Eddy??? to loving nieces and nephews Ineew York, Virginia and Oregon. Ed served as a Staff Sergeant in the US Air Force during the Korean War and was the recipient of both the Good Conduct and National Defense Service Medals. ??He concluded his military service as a warehouse supervisor at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyoming and was honorably discharged in 1953. He began a distinguished career ineetail with the J.C. Moag Corporation in NYC. Over his teneear career with the company he supervised new store design and remodel projects across the country and was promoted to Director of Merchandising. Ed married Patricia (Pat) Monahan ineeptember 1954 and they welcomed a daughter, Renee in 1962. ??Their honeymoon in the Poconos of Pennsylvania sparked a love for the mountains that inspired their relocation from Floral Park, NY to East Stroudsburg, PA in 1965. ??Ed continued his career ineetail as the Director of Merchandising for Edinger-Wycoff. In neember of 1977 he was hired by the Montgomery Development Company to manee the Stroud Mall, the largest mall in the Poconos, which at the time consisted of 54 tenants and over 300,000 feet of retail space. Ed stood at the helm of the mall for 17 years, supervising a major expansion in 2002 , which added Sears and the first escalator in Monee County! In addition to wanting a quality shoppineexperience for everyone who visited the mall, Ed prided himself on promoting philanthropic activities aneentertainment. Over the years he welcomed neerous local organizations to the mall, including the March of Dimes, MDA, The Hunger Project as well as art work of local school children, marching bands, and dance troupes. Hosting celebrities and sports heroes at the mall???s center court such as Whitey Ford of the NY Yanees and Gordon from Sesame Street were highlights of his tenee at the mall. Two organizations that Ed was passionee about were the Boy Scouts of America and the Salvation Army. ??The Stroud Mall often hosted the Annual Boy Scout Pine Box Derby Race. Ed served on the Advisory Board of the East Stroudsburg Salvation Army and could be seen around town as a Bell Ringer during the holiday season. ??After his retirement in 1995 Ed served as a voluneer at Pocono Medical Center and in his parish of St. Matthews Catholic Church. ??In 2013 the Ed and Pat moved to the Raleigh Durham area to be closer to their daughter and grandchildren. Ed lived a life whose motto was to be kind and respectful to all and to leave this world a better place in your own special way. In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made in Ed???s memory to Heartland Hospice 4505 Falls of Neuse Road #650 Raleigh, NC 27609 or Salvation Army???226 Washington Street East Stroudsburg, PA 18301. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held 11:00 AM Tuesday, neember 13, 2018 at St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Chapel Hill. The Soulia family is under the care of Hall-Wynne Funeral Service. Online condolences; www.hallwynne.com; select obits.