Obituary of Joseph P. Soyka

Dr. Joseph P. Soyka, 87, of Lawrenceville passed away on Tuesday, October 14, 2014 at St. Mary Medical Center, Langhorne, PA. Born in Nanty-Glo, PA, he was a longtime resident of Lawrenceville. Dr. Soyka was Chief of Staff at John Kane Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA for 13 years after graduating from the University of Pittsburgh in 1954. In 1969 he joined Upjohn Company in Kalamazoo, MI as Chief of Research in Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs, where he did the first human studies on Ibuprofen. He left the Upjohn Company in 1972 and went with Wallace Laboratories (Carter Wallace Inc.) in Cranbury, NJ as an Assistant Chief of Adverse Drug Reactions. In 1975 he left Wallace Labs and went to Ciba- Geigy in Summit, NJ as Chief of Regulatory Medicine, with the opportunity to work with the Food and Drug Administration on labeling of drugs. In 1978 he rejoined Wallace Laboratories as Director of Marketing Support. He became Vice President and Chief of Medical and Clinical Services in 1992, where he did clinical studies in the United States, Great Britain and Italy. He remained in that position until he had a heart attack in June of 1991 and retired from medicine. Following his retirement, he joined the Adult Choir and the Resurrection Choir at the Church of St. Ann. He was a 4th Degree Knight with Lawrence Twp. Council 7000. His faith guided and sustained him. He was an avid golfer, loved traveling, reading, music, playing chess and collecting art. He was an accomplished stained glass artesian and created the stained glass windows housed for the Blessed Mother at The Church of St. Ann, Lawrenceville, NJ. He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother and son. His greatest joy was spending time with family. Son of the late Michael and Mary Soyka, father of the late J. Paul Soyka, brother of the late John, Michael, Steve, Maria and Betty Soyka, brother-in-law of the late Ann Soyka; he is survived by his wife Lucia Soyka; his children Dr. James M. (Julie) Soyka, Teresa M. (Raymond) Perri, William A. Burtnett, Mary E. Orr; he was affectionately known as “Gedo” to his grandchildren Matthew A. and Nicole Soyka, Kirsten L. (Frankie) McCalmont, Elizabeth M. Orr, W. Dean J. Orr and Daniel J. Orr; his great-grandson Gabriel A. McCalmont; his sister Helena (John) Dropcho, sisters-in-law Kathryn Soyka, Jane Soyka; many nieces and nephews. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11AM on Saturday, October 18, 2014 at The Church of St. Ann 1253 Lawrence Road, Lawrenceville, NJ. Interment will follow at St. Mary’s Assumption Byzantine Cemetery, Dormition Section, Hamilton. Relatives and friends may call for Dr. Joseph Soyka at Saturday morning from 9:30-11AM in the daily chapel. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to Children’s Education Lifeline Fund at The Church of St. Ann 1253 Lawrenceville, NJ 08648