Bruce C Solomon's Obituary
Bruce Craig Solomon was born on March 15, 1949 in Cottonwood Maternity Hospital to LaVene Gines and George Padley. His parents may not have realized that Bruce was born to fulfill an incandescent destiny. He was received by siblings Karl, LouDean, Sherlyn, and Georga Mounteer. Later, as life changed, Bruce was grateful to be adopted by his stepfather, Walter E. Solomon. Soon he gained two more siblings, Gordon and Kathy Solomon. As Bruce grew, he revealed the contrasting abilities to think deeply yet be the life of the party. He loved anything involving a ball: During his Little League program, he benefited greatly from the guidance of Coach LaVell Edwards and became a ferocious pitcher who took his team to a state championship. Bruce continued to play baseball and football in high school until a summer in San Francisco shifted his perspective. Soon after graduating from Granite High School, he joined the Marine Corps. After marrying his high school sweetheart, he served seventeen months in Vietnam, most of it in “Leatherneck Square” near the DMZ where he dodged many bullets but was repeatedly doused in Agent Orange, which eventually killed him. In addition to the Vietnam Service Medal with a silver star, Bruce was awarded the Navy Achievement Medal with a combat “V” and other commendations. He came home to an ungrateful nation and struggled mightily with survival guilt in addition to the challenge of becoming an instant father to his year-old daughter who had been born while he was overseas.
Despite rampant PTSD and the vagaries of his physical condition, Bruce received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Social Work from the University of Utah, where he was an avid Crimson Club member and football fan. He also earned a master’s in Organizational Behavior from the University of Phoenix. For 30 years of his adult life he irrevocably made the world a better place by working with people and organizations as a communication and transformational trainer. At age 60, he felt called to focus his healing energies on his brothers-in-arms; for ten years he worked primarily with combat veterans and their families as a trauma therapist in Southern Utah. He and his wife also delivered Strengthening Marriage and Family classes within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Bruce loved sports, fly fishing, golf, laughter and music. In another life he would have been a disc jockey. Despite his strong independent streak, he belonged to many associations including Vietnam Veterans of America, the Marine Corps League, Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, and National Association of Social Workers. He often remarked, “I’ve had a much better life than I ever expected.” He was rich in the love of his family, his many friends, his transformational students, and his clients.
Bruce is survived by four siblings, by his wife of 51 years, Dorothy Allred Solomon, by his four children: Denise Andreianne Sanchez (Anthony), Layla Janelle Hardy (Todd), Jeffrey Bruce Solomon (Jennifer Leavitt) and Laurissa Jeanne Long (Russell) and by his fourteen grandchildren: Jenna Christine Eastman, Cassaundra Justine Gibson, Jeffrey Stewart Hardy, Tyson David Reese, Jackson Clark Hardy, Michael Jacob Reese, Anthony Roman Sanchez, Russell Michael Long Jr., Logan Bruce Hardy, Lily Mei Solomon, Esme Janelle Hardy, Katherine Maleah Long, Noah Benjamin Solomon and Finley Elizabeth Hardy. That Monday morning, July 29, as Bruce struggled to breathe, his first great-grandson was born into this world; ten minutes later Bruce was born into his next life. We are awestruck by the mysterious and beautiful balancing of the universe.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, August 3, 2019 at 10:00 am. Arrive early to find parking near the Memorial House at Memorial Grove Park, 375 Canyon Road, Salt Lake City, Utah. Donations may be made in his name to the Wounded Warrior Project or Team Rubicon.
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