Joseph John Solomon, loving husband to Barbara "Bobbie" Barefoot Solomon, passed from this earth, surrounded by his loving family, Saturday, August 5, 2017, due to complications from Alzheimer's disease.
He was born November 18, 1933, in Canonsburg.
He and his wife were married for 59 loving years.
Surviving, in addition to his wife, are his sons, John Solomon and wife Michelle of Philadelphia and Dan Solomon and wife Sandy of Carnegie, and his daughter, Diane Solomon Hrapla and husband Jerry of Pittsburgh.
He was loved and adored by all of his family and acquaintances but held a special place in his heart for his grandchildren, Brad and Delaney Solomon of Philadelphia and Dan and Joie Hrapla of Pittsburgh. He will also be remembered warmly and missed by all of his friends from Canonsburg and Washington.
While he was an outstanding and giving person and was always available to help those he could, he will be remembered by his friends for his outstanding 32-year career as a wrestler and official. He attended Canonsburg High School from 1947 to 1951 and, during that time, was a three-time WPIAL champion, one-time PIAA champion and one-time PIAA runner-up.
As a result of his excellent academic work at Canonsburg High School and his obvious wrestling prowess, he accepted a wrestling scholarship to the University of Pittsburgh, which he attended from 1951 to 1955. While at Pitt, he was the MVP of the wrestling team during his freshman and sophomore years and team captain during his senior year.
Throughout his legendary wrestling career, he had been recognized as a champion as follows: 4 I Champion; Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association Champion; Wilkes College Tournament Champion; AAU Champion; and, last but not least, he was the 167-pound NCAA champion for Pitt in 1954.
After college, he served his country by joining the U.S. Navy. While there, he was an All Navy Champion and a coach for Great Lakes Naval Station Wrestling Team. He won the team title in 1956, when he received an invitation to become a member of the U.S. Olympic Wrestling Team.
After an honorable discharge from the Navy, he spent over 30 years at Blue Cross of Western Pennsylvania (Highmark) as senior vice president of sales. In his free time and while working for Blue Cross, he officiated well over 900 wrestling matches over 30 years at all levels including 15 PIAA championships, 10 PSAC and EIWA championships and five NCAA championships.
He was recognized by numerous halls of fame, including Washington-Greene Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame; Southwestern Pennsylvania Wrestling Hall of Fame; Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Officials Hall of Fame; Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association Hall of Fame; Pitt Golden Panthers Hall of Fame; National Wrestling Officials Hall of Fame; Canonsburg High School Hall of Honor; Pennsylvania Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame; WPIAL Hall of Fame; and National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
He lived his life with a purpose, focused on family first. Despite all of his accomplishments, he was a humble and loving husband, father and grandfather and will be missed terribly by his loving family.
Friends are welcome from 2 to 8 p.m. Monday in William Slater II Funeral Services, 412-563-2800, 1650 Greentree Road, Scott Township. Mass will be held at noon Tuesday, August 8, in St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Mt. Lebanon, with burial to follow at 2 p.m. in National Cemetery of the Alleghenies, Cecil Township.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to: www.alz.org.
Condolences may be left at www.slaterfuneral.com.
He was born November 18, 1933, in Canonsburg.
He and his wife were married for 59 loving years.
Surviving, in addition to his wife, are his sons, John Solomon and wife Michelle of Philadelphia and Dan Solomon and wife Sandy of Carnegie, and his daughter, Diane Solomon Hrapla and husband Jerry of Pittsburgh.
He was loved and adored by all of his family and acquaintances but held a special place in his heart for his grandchildren, Brad and Delaney Solomon of Philadelphia and Dan and Joie Hrapla of Pittsburgh. He will also be remembered warmly and missed by all of his friends from Canonsburg and Washington.
While he was an outstanding and giving person and was always available to help those he could, he will be remembered by his friends for his outstanding 32-year career as a wrestler and official. He attended Canonsburg High School from 1947 to 1951 and, during that time, was a three-time WPIAL champion, one-time PIAA champion and one-time PIAA runner-up.
As a result of his excellent academic work at Canonsburg High School and his obvious wrestling prowess, he accepted a wrestling scholarship to the University of Pittsburgh, which he attended from 1951 to 1955. While at Pitt, he was the MVP of the wrestling team during his freshman and sophomore years and team captain during his senior year.
Throughout his legendary wrestling career, he had been recognized as a champion as follows: 4 I Champion; Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association Champion; Wilkes College Tournament Champion; AAU Champion; and, last but not least, he was the 167-pound NCAA champion for Pitt in 1954.
After college, he served his country by joining the U.S. Navy. While there, he was an All Navy Champion and a coach for Great Lakes Naval Station Wrestling Team. He won the team title in 1956, when he received an invitation to become a member of the U.S. Olympic Wrestling Team.
After an honorable discharge from the Navy, he spent over 30 years at Blue Cross of Western Pennsylvania (Highmark) as senior vice president of sales. In his free time and while working for Blue Cross, he officiated well over 900 wrestling matches over 30 years at all levels including 15 PIAA championships, 10 PSAC and EIWA championships and five NCAA championships.
He was recognized by numerous halls of fame, including Washington-Greene Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame; Southwestern Pennsylvania Wrestling Hall of Fame; Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Officials Hall of Fame; Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association Hall of Fame; Pitt Golden Panthers Hall of Fame; National Wrestling Officials Hall of Fame; Canonsburg High School Hall of Honor; Pennsylvania Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame; WPIAL Hall of Fame; and National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
He lived his life with a purpose, focused on family first. Despite all of his accomplishments, he was a humble and loving husband, father and grandfather and will be missed terribly by his loving family.
Friends are welcome from 2 to 8 p.m. Monday in William Slater II Funeral Services, 412-563-2800, 1650 Greentree Road, Scott Township. Mass will be held at noon Tuesday, August 8, in St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Mt. Lebanon, with burial to follow at 2 p.m. in National Cemetery of the Alleghenies, Cecil Township.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to: www.alz.org.
Condolences may be left at www.slaterfuneral.com.
