This photo was taken of State Senators with Pat Solano in October 2019, when the Pennsylvania Senate presented him with the Outstanding Citizen Recognition Certificate. From left: Senators Mario Scavello, Lisa Baker, Joe Scarnati, Patrick Solano, honoree; Senators John Yudichak, John Gordner, former Sen. John Blake. Solano died in January at age 95.

This photo was taken of State Senators with Pat Solano in October 2019, when the Pennsylvania Senate presented him with the Outstanding Citizen Recognition Certificate. From left: Senators Mario Scavello, Lisa Baker, Joe Scarnati, Patrick Solano, honoree; Senators John Yudichak, John Gordner, former Sen. John Blake. Solano died in January at age 95.

WILKES-BARRE — The Pennsylvania Senate this week honored the life of the late Patrick Solano with a condolence resolution, according to Sen. Lisa Baker, R-Lehman Township, and Sen. John Yudichak, I-Swoyersville, who both offered remarks on the Senate floor.

“In January, we bid a fond, but very sad farewell to Pat Solano, one of the greatest generation,” Baker said on the Senate floor. “In his life, Pat filled so many different roles. He was a leader and patriot, who lived a life of service to our community, state and country. Yet at the same time, he valued the importance of family above all else. To many people within government, on both sides of the aisle, he was known as a mentor, mediator, innovator, and problem solver.”

Baker joined Yudichak and other senate colleagues to offer a Senate Condolence Resolution and remarks on the Senate Floor.

“As we come together to remember Pat, we offer our deep sympathy to his wife, Marie, six daughters and entire family,” Baker said.

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Yudichak also offered comments.

“At the wonderful, robust age of 95, the prominent life of Patrick J. Solano came to end,” Yudichak said. “A storybook life of a common man who achieved uncommon success in the service to his country in World War II and in his chosen profession of public service came to an end just like a beautiful scene out of a Frank Capra movie.”

Yudichak continued, stating, “Pat, of sound and sharp mind, lay peacefully in his home surrounded by his beautiful and loving family — his wife of 66 years, Marie, his six daughters, his eleven grandchildren, and his three great-grandchildren.

“Secure in the love of his family and secure in his unparalleled legacy of accomplishments in Pennsylvania politics, Pat Solano surrendered to his God and surrendered his political legacy to the ages.”

Yudichak said he had “the great pleasure” to become a friend and confidante of Solano over the last 20 years. He said he admired his political acumen and marveled at his longevity.

“Pat Solano was a member of the Republican Party, but his ideology never got in the way of finding common ground across the political aisle to deliver time and time again on issues to improve the lives of all Pennsylvanians — issues from protecting our environment and conserving our precious natural resources to investing in economic development projects that have created thousands of jobs throughout northeastern Pennsylvania,” Yudichak said.

Yudichak said to know Pat Solano, to have shared a moment or two in the company of Pat Solano is to understand the words of Tom Brokaw as he wrote them in his book The Greatest Generation:

“There on the beaches of Normandy I began to reflect on the wonders of these ordinary people whose lives were laced with the markings of greatness.”

Yudichak closed by stating, “God bless you, Pat Solano, may you rest in peace.”

Reach Bill O’Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.