Celebration of Life
Ted Colton Soens
Photos from Ted’s early life.
Circa 1942: Ted and brother Roger, who was from Papa Ed’s first marriage. Ed had a daughter from this marriage as well, Beatrice. Roger lived in the Seattle area; we rarely saw him or Aunt Bea. Notation on the photo reads “Roger flew in PBY plane, WWII.” He had a manufacturing/printing business in Seattle.
Ted Colton Soens, 1941
1952: Ted at Penn State (think it’s his graduation photo)
Sixteen-year-old Ted with parents Ed and Lois in Mexico. Grandma’s face reflects how ridiculous this photo op was.
Ted’s high school graduation photo, Peabody High School.
Elaine first saw Ted when he worked summers at Calvary Camp while she was a camper. (All the girls noticed him!) But they didn’t really meet until a double date when she was in high school...Ted came with another date, but soon they started dating and she was “pinned” by Ted— in 1950s style, considered a pre-engagement commitment by wearing his fraternity pin.
Ted graduated from Penn State, State College, PA, with his undergraduate degree in Journalism before entering the Army as a lieutenant. He would get his PhD from the Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) in 1971.
Some details about Ted’s parents are below.
Photos of Lois Colton and Ed Soens
Lois Mabel Soens at 18 (1923). On back: “My old dress doesn’t take so bad after all.”
Lois Mabel (Colton) and Edward George Soens in San Francisco, early 1930s? Papa always had a stylish car and dressed nattily. They were married in 1928 in Wellsburg, W. Va (though both were living in Pittsburgh at the time). Ted was born in San Francisco on Sept. 28, 1931.
Papa Ed grew up in Chicago and met Lois during a business trip. After living briefly in California, Lois and Ed settled in Pittsburgh to be close to her close-knit family. He worked mainly as an accountant, but also had his own store for a short time, a hobby store in East Liberty. An avid hobbyist throughout his life, he kept a large flower garden, worked with wood, tried weaving and won accolades as a bowler. We remember him bringing home coolers of iced fish from expeditions to Canada and Florida.
Grandma Lo worked for Brinks (counting money) and as a bookkeeper/floral worker for Dick Irwin’s flower shop in East Liberty. She was the life of the party wherever she went; Papa was much more reticent. Lois and Ed bought a house on Duncan Avenue in Allisonville, PA, where Papa happily kept a huge garden and turned his garage into a woodworking studio. We spent many Sundays visiting them for dinner and an Ed Sullivan show.
Ed Soens’ family in Chicago, circa 1912. Likely a 50th Anniversary photo in honor of Peter Sr. and Mary, who were married in 1862. Photo probably in front of 800 Wood Street. Peter Sr. was a cabinetmaker who emigrated to the US about 1850-55. He was living in Buffalo, NY in 1860 and married Mary Sophia Scheidt in Buffalo on June 26, 1862. Cindy found records that Edward J.A. worked as a leather tanner.
Front row: John (brother) and Edward George Soens.
Seated left: Mary Sophia (Scheidt) Soens (Ed’s grandma).
Standing L-R: Eldest sibling, sister Frances (Soens) Legroh*; Edward J.A. Soens** (Ed’s father); Anna (Kozeluh) Soens (Ed’s mother)***; Peter Soens (brother). Peter later married Clara Konke. They had a daughter Dolores — who married Warren Stone.
Seated Right: Peter Soens (Ed’s Grandpa).
*also spelled Legros. Frances had two children, Annette and Harry. She died in childbirth in 1917, with Harry surviving. **JA is for James or John, or Aloysius/Anthony. ***Anna died October 1917, followed by Frances that same year. Edward would remarry. Thanks to Cindy (Soens) Davies for information. John is Cindy’s grandfather, so we share the same great-grandparents.
Edward bowled in professional bowling leagues in the late 1930s and with the Wilkinsburg’s Pilsner team in the 40s. Notation says “PAA 1937-38-39” from archive of Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph.
Edward George Soens
August 8, 1895 - March 24, 1983
Lois Mabel (Colton) Soens
April 16, 1905 - Dec. 14, 2002