Jerome Solomon, 82; led architectural firm

Jerome Solomon, 82, of Philadelphia, former president of Jerome Solomon Associates, an architectural firm in Woodbury, died of lung cancer Monday, April 4, at home.

Born in Canton, Ohio, Mr. Solomon graduated in 1950 from Boardman (Ohio) High School, near Youngstown, and earned a bachelor's at what is now the MIT department of architecture in 1956.

He took graduate classes at Harvard University and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, as well as in industrial engineering at Ohio State University, a niece, Diane Cohen, said.

Mr. Solomon served from 1956 to 1958 as a project engineer at what is now the Air Force Reserve Command in Dayton.

He moved to Rotterdam, Netherlands, his niece said, and from 1959 to 1963, "he did interior design of transoceanic liners."

After moving with his parents to Philadelphia, and founding his Woodbury firm in 1964, Mr. Solomon returned to MIT, his resumé states, where until 1968 he taught architectural design and construction technology.

For four decades, until "he closed his office about three years ago," his niece said, Mr. Solomon's Woodbury firm was mostly "involved with the industrial design of office buildings."

Patricia and Bertram Snead had known Mr. Solomon and his wife, Ruth, since the late 1970s, when they were neighbors in Narberth.

"We were like brothers and sisters for the rest of our lives," Mrs. Snead said.

"He never talked about himself," she said of Mr. Solomon. "He was always interested in what was going on with your life."

Mr. Solomon is survived by two nieces. His wife died in 2014.

A graveside service was set for 11 a.m. Wednesday, April 6, at Haym Salomon Memorial Park, Frazer.

Donations may be sent to www.philadelphiazoo.org.

Condolences may be offered at www.goldsteinsfuneral.com.

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