Robert W. Solt, 89, of Frankenmuth, Mich., died Aug. 31, 2017, in his home. Born in Allentown, he was the son of the late Charles R. and Myrtle (Gaugler) Solt. In 1944, he met Clarence H. and Ella Hauser, his mother and father in Emmaus until their deaths.

He was a 1945 graduate of Emmaus High School and entered the U.S. Army and served until November 1946.

In 1951, he received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Michigan, majoring in journalism. He was a life member of the University of Michigan Alumni Association.

He was a reporter and then city editor from 1951-53 at the Hoopeston Chronicle, Hoopeston, Ill.

In 1953, he began as a reporter for the Times Herald, Port Huron, Michigan. From 1970-74, he was city editor of that newspaper.

In May 1974, he was a reporter at the Saginaw News reporting on city and county government, business, agriculture, probate, district, circuit and federal courts until his retirement in February 1993.

He loved reading, classical music, including opera, and theater.

Since age 17, he traveled extensively throughout the United States and Alaska; Canada; several trips to Europe; the Middle East, including Lebanon and Egypt; an African safari; Asia, including Hong Kong, Tokyo and Thailand; Russia in 1959, at the height of the Cold War; Pakistan and India.

He once took a three-month trip around the world to Central America, Mexico and South America, including the Machu Picchu ruins in Peru, Buenos Aires, Rio, Manaus, the Amazon, Hawaii, Tahiti, New Zealand, Australia, Normandy and the World War II beaches and Morocco.

In November 1965, he flew from New Zealand to Antarctica and the South Pole to the National Science Foundation Science and Research Station where he walked around the world in 15 seconds.

He is survived by two step-nieces Kerry (Hauser) and Lea Ann (Hauser) Buchman, both of Emmaus, and niece Linda Reddinger, of Allentown.

According to his wishes, cremation and private interment has taken place. Arrangements were made by the J. S. Burkholder Funeral Home, Allentown.