Edward ‘Ned’ Sohl, 76

Edward "Ned" Sohl, passed away Feb. 6, 2021, in North Oaks, Minnesota.

Ned was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, on March 6, 1944, to parents William Edward and Helen (Nold) Sohl. The youngest of three busy, intelligent and adventurous brothers, Ned grew up in Birchwood, on the shores of White Bear Lake, enjoying a childhood full of family and friendship. Ned’s early interests were Scouting, the outdoors and, like his father, chemistry. Ned graduated from White Bear Lake High School in 1962 and spent the summer in Europe, sailing to France, then taking the train to northern Italy to stay with the family of “Chico,” the foreign exchange student who stayed with the Sohls while Ned was in high school and after his older brothers, David and Gordon, had moved on to college. Ned’s letters home were endemic of Ned’s penchant for writing and were captured in a wonderful scrapbook his mother kept including Air Mail stationary, postcards, typewritten notes, descriptions of the scooters he would ride around town, and updates on his budget status.

College took him to Wooster, where his mother and her sister, Ruth Nold, studied before him, and where he pursued an undergraduate degree in chemistry. After Wooster, Ned was selected to pursue an advanced degree in organic chemistry at Harvard, where he ultimately earned both master’s and doctorate degrees. These impressive credentials led him to Dupont, where Dr. Sohl was involved in the development of many new polymers and product lines for the company. Ned’s expertise saw him involved in projects that took him from Wilmington, Delaware, to Lexington, Kentucky, where he became a Kentucky Colonel; to Beaumont, Texas, where he developed a lifelong love of Texas barbecue and the iconic chili cook-off; and to other parts of the world representing the company. Once back in Wilmington, Ned purchased a lovely brownstone, which he decorated in what he affectionately referred to as “early pick-axe,” after becoming heavily involved and ultimately the president of the Wilmington Trail Club, the local chapter of the Appalachian Trail Conference, Wilmington Trail Club (WTC).

Ned joined the WTC in 1974 and enjoyed the regular End-to-End Hikes they hosted: notably the Brandywine Trail in March and the Hike Across Delaware in October. Ned shared this love of hiking and the outdoors with friends, neighbors and family, even putting houseguests to work if the club had scheduled a maintenance day and showing off the launch point for paragliders at their Delaware Water Gap section of the trail — a sight to behold.

Ned was a social person. He maintained relationships with many of his childhood friends from White Bear, returning on many occasions for ski trips, fishing trips or hunting trips with the guys, and even having them visit him in Kalispell, where no less than four of them somehow engineered a way to move a 500-lb. gun safe into Ned’s basement. Ned also loved making new friends and did so by bringing the infamous chili cook-off format back to Wilmington, where he hosted the Delaware International Chili Cook-off, complete with prizes for winners: Texas-sized belt buckles fashioned by Ned and his brother Gordon. These chili cook-offs were a way to bring his neighborhood together, enjoy xx-alarm chili and have an excuse to drink cold beer. So basically, everyone won.

Ned loved the outdoors. In high school, he spent a summer out west learning about geology and mining in Colorado, and he once went on a cross-country trip with his mother and aunt from Minnesota to California. These trips exposed him to beautiful regions of the country, and Christmas always seemed to bring some conservation group’s calendar as a gift to family. He continued his outdoor experiences in adulthood: trout fishing at a stocked fish preserve in Quebec with other Duponters, hiking with the WTC, bird hunting and target shooting. Ned’s passion for nature drove his decision, literally, to find his retirement spot out in the west, spending his weeks of vacation every year driving cross-country to find the perfect place.

That search ended when Ned found Kalispell and Glacier National Park. Ned jumped at a chance to take early retirement from Dupont in 2001. He packed up his house and Brittney spaniel Bubba and moved to the Flathead Valley where he forged friendships and left a legacy that will endure.

Once in the Flathead Valley, Ned began hiking with various groups, volunteered with the Flathead Valley Nordic Ski Patrol, and offered his services to trail maintenance groups. Ned earned a Master Gardener certification and shared that passion teaching gardening classes at Flathead Valley Community College, using his organic chemistry know-how to help gardeners of all levels. Ned took trips with friends camping, canoeing, kayaking, skiing, snowshoeing, cleating, hunting and, of course, hiking. Their journeys included the Swan Valley, “the Bob,” and out-of-state destinations in Utah’s and Nevada’s national parks as well. Ned was a force of nature, and few could keep up with him on the trail. He enjoyed his time with the OTHG (Over-The-Hill-Gang) and Swan Rangers, with their Thursday and Saturday outings starting with breakfast together to discuss trail conditions and settle on the plan for the day. These journeys gave Ned ample opportunities to take thousands of calendar-worthy photos.

Ned was a scientist, and therefore meticulous. Graph paper, legal pads, index cards, and 3M post-it notes were ubiquitous in his domain. No hike, chili cook-off, ski outing or trip ever started without a list, evidence of research, or notes for future improvement. Indeed, the Delaware International Chili Cook-off file includes the Delaware Regulations for Temporary Public Eating Places from the division of health, complete with business card, and the invitations included contest rules (most importantly: ‘no found ingredients; if tire tracks are detected on meat, you are automatically disqualified’).

Ned maintained his active lifestyle until June of 2019, when he moved back to the White Bear area to be near family and many childhood friends. He never stopped wanting to be active, and he wouldn’t pass up a chance to pet a “sweet doggie.” Ned had a wicked sense of humor and an infectious laugh. His commitment to being involved and giving back were evident during his life, as he volunteered in leadership or teaching positions in nearly every organization he joined. Fittingly, he continues to give back through gifts to the College of Wooster, Harvard’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, the Appalachian Trail Conference, and Flathead Valley Community College. His legacy is one of stewardship, education, humility, and intellect.

Ned was preceded in death by his parents William and Helen, brothers David and Gordon, and sister-in-law Sue Sohl.

He is survived by his sister-in-law Vera Sohl, nieces Lori Mahler, Mary Koehler and Kathryn Sohl Beasley, and nephew Jon Sohl.

Memorials will be held in Kalispell on June 14 at the Lone Pine Community Room at Lone Pine Park, and in Birchwood, Minnesota, on July 9 at Birchwood City Hall. Please email EstateOfEdwardSohl@gmail.com for more information regarding the memorials.

Donations in Ned’s memory can be made to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, the Alzheimer’s Association, College of Wooster, Harvard Graduate School of Arts & Sciences (GSAS), Glacier National Park Fund and Montana Wilderness Society.