From the time he dedicated his life to God at the age of 16 he wanted nothing more than to become a preacher, but God convicted his heart he was meant to serve Him as a doctor and he obeyed. After graduating from University of Richmond, VA in 1943, he went to medical school at Medical College of Virginia and completed residencies in pathology, surgery and obstetrics. Following medical school, he served his country as a Navy Surgeon on the USS Shenandoah in the Korean War. He was the only doctor on Mackinac Island, MI from 1956-1969 where he met and married Thelma Hollingsworth Solomon and they had their three daughters Jayne, Anne and Amy Jo. While on Mackinac Island, he also served as Public Health Officer and Mayor. The family moved to Abingdon, VA in 1970 where Dr. Solomon went into private general practice and also served as Coroner and Chief of Staff of Johnston Memorial Hospital. In 1975, he moved his private practice to Kingsport, TN. where he continued as a general practitioner until retirement in 1996. In his years in practice, Dr. Joe shared the gospel and led many hearts to Jesus and after retirement continued to care for patients as an on-call doctor for Holston Medical Group and on a voluntary basis for Friends In Need Health Center in Kingsport. He was involved in men’s prison ministry for over 20 years and in medical missions in India, Peru, Honduras and Venezuela.
Dr. Joe is survived by his wife of 60 years, Thelma Solomon; three daughters, Jayne McCoy and husband Terry, Anne Sonneberger and husband Steve and Amy Lunsford and husband Chris; as well as grandchildren Cori Pierson and fiancé Tim Peters, Jacob McCoy and wife Rebecca, Michael, Sarah and Sydney Middleton, Maci Ferguson and husband Andrew, Seth Sonneberger, and Haddie and Elsie Lunsford; and great-grandchildren Aria Peters, Lyla McCoy and Eli Ferguson.
Visitation will be from 10:00 am to noon on Saturday August 17, 2019 at Celebration Church, 429 Shipley Ferry Rd, Blountville, TN 37617 with memorial service immediately following officiated by Robert Russell. Military honors conducted by the American Legion Post 3/265.
