09/20/2025
Robert Silvio Soluri (Bob) of Kitty Hawk NC and Washington DC, passed away unexpectedly and peacefully on September 18, 2025 at the family home in Kitty Hawk that he designed and built. Robert was born in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania and at the age of six moved with his family to Washington DC., where his father, who was a master brick mason (dubbed by his coworkers as “The Artist”) was hired to work on the construction of the Pentagon and the restoration of the White House.
Bob recently celebrated his 90th birthday, receiving and enjoying scores of cards from friends and family from far and near. He was preceded in death by his beloved daughter Laura Maria and his brother John Gino. Survivors include his devoted wife, Jane, his son Robert Francis, grandchildren: Francesca Lauran, Robert Thomas, and Joseph Francis and many cherished nieces and nephews.
Robert graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in Washington DC and earned a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Catholic University. He worked for the Navy Department for 35 years and earned the Navy Distinguished Civil Service Award, the highest award conferred on a Navy Department civilian employee. Following his retirement from the Federal Government, he worked in real estate sales for Shannon and Luchs and Long and Foster in the DC area.
For most of his life, Bob was an avid athlete, enjoying biking, swimming, tennis and working out at the gym. He preferred doing to watching. He also could build or fix just about anything and loved working with wood, bricks and stone. In recent years, he and his wife, Jane, volunteered with Meals on Wheels. He was a regular, non-singing attendee at every rehearsal and concert of the Outer Banks Chorus. He also was an enthusiastic and beloved participant of what he called “exercise class,” aka Care Givers Day Out, where he was known to break into song spontaneously and enjoy making everyone laugh.
A Funeral Service of the Word with Communion will be held at Holy Redeemer by the Sea Catholic Church in Kitty Hawk, NC on Wednesday, October 15, 2025 at 11:00 am, with a reception to follow in the parish hall. Prior to the Kitty Hawk service, burial and commemoration of Robert’s cremains will take place on Monday, October 13, 2025 at 12:00pm at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Silver Spring, Maryland. Family and friends in the DC area are invited to attend, gathering at the main office by 11:45 am before proceeding together to the grave site, luncheon to follow in Chevy Chase, Maryland.
For those who wish to memorialize Robert in a special way, please consider a donation to the Outer Banks Dementia Friendly Coalition: www.paypal.com/donate/?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=HRN2LMRN5N6HL&source=url&ssrt=1758484676760, or to the Outer Banks Chorus: https://www.obxchorus.org/support.html Please leave a message of comfort at gallopfuneralservices.com.
