We are sad to announce the passing of our father, Jan Jozef Solecki, on May 16, 2011 at the age of 92, at UBC Hospital surrounded by family and friends.

Born in the small Russian community of Mantukhe in Mongolia, Jan grew up in Harbin.   He was teaching at St. Joseph’s College in Hong Kong when the war broke out and he joined the Hong Kong Volunteers.  He survived four years as a prisoner of war of the Japanese.  After release the British Government offered him passage to England and a scholarship to the London School of Economics.  On completion of his degree he joined the British Intelligence Service working in post-war Germany, Hong Kong, Switzerland, and England.  It was during this time that he met and married Daphne with whom he shared these early exciting years of travel and raising a young family, until in 1959 they decided to emigrate and start a new life in Canada.

After studying at UBC and the University of Washington, Jan taught Russian Language and the Economics of the Soviet Union  in the department of Slavonic Studies at UBC from 1964-1984.  He was a gifted teacher and very popular with his students. His research concentrated on the economics of fishery and forestry in the USSR and he was frequently consulted by industry.   Amongst his most satisfying accomplishments were his Russian Language Immersion summer course, his role in the introduction of the New Arts One program – radical at the time - and his annual high school lecture tour when he visited communities large and small throughout BC.  After he retired he continued his research into the economics of the Soviet Union and frequently acted as a translator at conferences.

He married his second wife Lina in 1980 with whom he enjoyed travel, opera, and the beginning of his retirement years. Sadly Lina predeceased him in 1988.

Soon after, Olga Godoroja joined him as his constant companion and dearest friend for the last 20 years of his life.

Jan was known for his resilience, for his convivial charm and gracious nature, his sense of humour and zest for life, and for his astounding detailed memory for songs, poems, and the many stories of his interesting life.

In his retiring years Jan published three books: Escape to Life, a novel; Bitter Cherries, a collection of short stories and finally, he published My Life, a memoir, on his 90th birthday.

Jan is survived by his children Jonathan (Cya), Tony (Maureen), Louise (Greg) Weir, and Susanna; and ten grandchildren, Ian, Kate, Matt, Chris, Ben, Owen, Daniel, Lauren, Rosie and David, and his devoted cat, Tassel.

Viewing will be at 1:00pm with a Mass of Christian Burial at 2:00pm at St. Marks Chapel, 5935 Iona Dr, UBC, Vancouver, on Wednesday, June 1; followed by a reception at his home.  A private family interment will take place later.

Special thanks to the Doctors, Nurses and staff at UBC Hospital for their extraordinary compassion and empathy during the final days of Jan’s life.

If desired, gifts in his memory may be made to the Hong Kong Veterans Commemorative Association (www.hkvca.ca).