Gerald Solomons

Gerald Solomons

Iowa City

Feb. 22, 1921 – Jan. 11, 2023

Gerald Solomons passed away a mere six weeks before his 102nd birthday.

Gerry was born, as he liked to say, a young boy very close to his mother, in London, England, and was raised in Glasgow, Scotland. After graduating from the University of Glasgow School of Medicine at the tender age of 21 he joined the British Royal Army as an army doctor and fought in WWII with the allied forces. After the war he moved to the United States, first to New York City, before settling in Providence, R.I.

He met Hope Barbara Cowen on a blind date. He smoked, she drank, the date started off rocky but by the end, Hope often said, Gerry was 6’ tall. As anyone who knew the diminutive Gerry, she was clearly smitten and they were engaged six weeks later, marrying on June 12, 1955. Gerry specialized in pediatrics with both a private practice and faculty position at Brown University’s School of Medicine. He was recruited from Brown to come to the University of Iowa Medical School. With a typical Brit’s sense of U.S. geography, Gerry had no concept of where Iowa was. Confusing the Midwest with the far-west, he went on the interview thinking he might see scenes like those from his favorite TV show at the time, Gunsmoke. Despite the absence of Marshal Dillion and Miss Kitty, Gerry took the job.

Gerry oversaw the University of Iowa Child Development Clinic from 1962 to 1984 before retiring to pursue his passion for woodworking and generating saw dust. For his second career he apprenticed himself to the woodworkers under David Naso for a period of 20 years, bringing home a sum total of three pieces of furniture. Gerry had a zest for travel, photography, art collecting, and pretty blondes. He had a razor-sharp wit and vast intellect which did not preclude a passion for puns. Despite his small stature, Gerry filled a room.

He leaves behind the love of his life, his wife of 67 years, Hope; his daughters Nan Solomons (Judy Spross) of Portland, Maine, and Mary Solomons (Ovidio Rojas) of Saratoga Springs, N.Y., and grandson Nick Turner of Boston, Mass. He was predeceased by his brother Sidney and sister Hilda.

No services are planned at this time.

In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to the Oaknoll Foundation or Iowa City Hospice.

He would encourage all who wish to remember him to indulge in a Cadbury Fruit & Nut bar.

Online condolences shared at www.lensingfuneral.com.