ALFRED WILLIAM SOLI
Alfred “Al” William Soli, 83, Leawood, KS, passed away Thursday, October 18, 2012, at St.
Luke’s Hospital. Memorial services will be 5 p.m. Wednesday, October 24, at Christ Church
Anglican, 5500 W. 91st Street, Overland Park, KS 66207. Cremation. Al would have
appreciated any contributions in his name to go to Big Brothers/Big Sisters, MOCSA or Wayside
Waifs.
Al was born December 1, 1928, in Martell Township, WI. He married his high school
sweetheart, and love of his life, Rosemary Lofgren, on September 27, 1948. Al’s early working
life included work in the lumber and milling business, hardware business and insurance. From
1963 to 1975, he managed the River Falls Golf Club. During his tenure he redesigned a small
nine hole course and expanded it to a full eighteen hole championship layout, and built a new
clubhouse and further expanded its layout. He designed and built four additional golf courses. Al
and Rosemary made their home in the Kansas City area in 1975 after dreaming of owning their
own business – an opportunity that came in the form of an Insty-Prints printing franchise. In
1995, Soli Printing came to life, a family-owned and operated business built on the simple
principles of hard work, great service and dedication. He acquired the real estate where his
businesses are located. Al was a professional businessman who was the heart, soul, and face
of his printing company until his retirement in 2003. He and his wife enjoyed traveling and had
many amazing experiences, including 15 cruises, white water rafting, horseback trips in the
Montana Rockies, visiting the pyramids in Egypt, and vacationing throughout Europe – including
Norway, Al’s ancestral country. Through the years, Al was involved in many organizations: he
was the youngest Master of the Masonic Lodge, Master of the River Falls Lodge, member and
President of the River Falls Lions Club, President of the Quarterbacks Club (a University of
Wisconsin at River Falls organization), Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce of River
Falls, on the River Falls Golf Club Board of Directors, Ararat Shrine Temple member, Finance
Chair of the St. Croix County of Wisconsin Boy Scouts, a member of the Bottom Line Group (a
printing business strategy organization). Al was named Insty-Prints ‘Man of the Year’ in 1993;
he mentored many printers around the United States about business and printing, and was a
speaker at numerous Insty-Prints conventions. A true passion of Al was to help other people
become financially successful and successful in life. Al completed his book before passing,
Lasting Impressions: Lessons from Life and a Life in Business.
Al was preceded in death by his daughter, Paula; brothers, Orlan and Hartman; and parents,
Henry and Nina. He leaves behind his loving wife, Rosemary; son and daughters, Gregg Soli,
Kansas City, MO, Gwen Scheller (husband Michael), Midland, GA, and Mary Lynn Mikhail
(husband Kamal), Leawood, KS; eight grand-daughters: Anne Frotten (husband Shawn),
Juleah Claar (husband Christian), Erica Smith (husband Eric), Sarah Walston (husband
Clifford), Megan Scheller, Emily Scheller, Gillian Dryton, and Mariel Dryton; step granddaughters: Christine Robers (husband Marshall) and Heidi Hansen (husband Nate); five greatgrandchildren, Emily, Zachary, Audrey, Mikhail Elizabeth and James; and devoted dog, Sugar,
all who thought the world of him. Al battled his disease with courage and passed away
peacefully, surrounded by family. His generosity, personally and professionally, was
unparalleled; he was humble, quietly donating to several charities and organizations. His loyalty,
protective spirit, and warm sense of humor will be missed by all who knew him.