CHOCTAWHATCHEE HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 1969
William Howard Solomon
SOLOMON William
Howard Solomon, 58, attorney and long-time Mandarin resident, passed away unexpectedly
on September 20, 2009. The son of Col. William H. Solomon and Louise Robertson
Solomon, he was born on April 23, 1951 in Birmingham, Alabama, and grew up in
Uniontown, Alabama and Fort Walton Beach, FL. Upon graduation from Choctawhatchee
High School in Fort Walton Beach, he attended the University of Florida where
he majored in Marketing and was a member of Alpha Tau Omega social fraternity.
He attended law school at the University of Alabama, and received his Juris
Doctor degree in 1976. He was a member of the Alabama and Florida Bars. Mr.
Solomon had an extraordinary number of interests. He was a lover of nature and
wildlife. An avid outdoorsman, was blessed with a wonderful sense of humor and
an irrepressible spirit of adventure. After practicing law in Jacksonville for
a number of years, he became a hot air balloon enthusiast, and turned this favorite
hobby, the exhilarating sport of hot air balloon racing, into a business. He
began a company, Balloon Adventures, and took guests on hot air balloon flights,
complete with strawberries and champagne. With another company, Outdoor Adventures,
he often acted as an informative tour guide on kayaking excursions throughout
the waterways of Florida. He lived adventures most dream of, ballooning over
the French Alps and the Chateau Country of France, criss-crossing Australia
in the "Great Australian Balloon Race", flying his hot air balloon
over the Grand Canyon, and attending balloon rallies in New Mexico and across
the U.S. He also traveled extensively in Europe and Asia, especially enjoying
Morocco and Istanbul. In Pamplona, Spain, he "Ran the Bulls" with
his life-long friend, Bill Norton. A member of Ducks Unlimited, he enjoyed hunting
in the great outdoors and he often hunted with friends in Alabama, Georgia,
and Montana, where he owned a hunting lodge. He was a member of The Sons of
the Confederate Veterans. As a UF graduate, he remained an ardent supporter
of the "Gator Nation", and enjoyed attending football games in Gainesville.
Mr. Solomon was an active environmentalist as a member of The Riverkeepers ,
a non-profit advocacy group supporting the St. Johns River, as well as a strong
promoter of historic preservation in the Jacksonville area. He is survived by
his sister, Isabelle Solomon Whitfield of Miami, FL; his dearest love, Ellen
Womack of St. Augustine, FL; cousins Mr. and Mrs. Thurman Robertson and Mr.
and Mrs. Robert Howard of Birmingham, Alabama; numerous dear friends from all
walks of life, and by his beloved Golden Retriever, Booster, his faithful friend
and loyal companion. " A Celebration of Howard's Life" will be held
at a sundown service at Mandarin Park by the St. John's River on Thursday, September
24, 2009, at 5 p.m. It will be officiated by Rev. Edward Harrison. Another service
will be held at the First Methodist Church in Uniontown, Alabama, at a later
date. He will be laid to rest in Rosemont Cemetery in Uniontown. In lieu of
flowers, memorial contributions may be made in his name to The Riverkeepers,
2800 University Blvd. N., Jacksonville, FL 32211 or to your favorite charity.
Arrangements are entrusted to Hardage Giddens Mandarin Chapel, 11801 San Jose
Blvd., Jacksonville, FL 32223.  |
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