Morton Solomon

Norwich - Morton Solomon, age 76, of Norwich, passed away Monday, April 14, 2008 at his home after a long illness.

Morton was born the son of Bella Richmond and William Solomon in Detroit, Mich., on Dec. 5, 1931.

Morton attended college at Wayne State University, University of Michigan College of Literature, Science and Arts, and earned his MD at University of Michigan Medical School. He served as intern and resident at Charity Hospital in New Orleans. From 1960 to 1967, he practiced internal medicine in New Orleans and Jackson, Miss., and worked for the Food and Drug Administration in Washington, D.C.

He first came to Southeastern Connecticut in 1967 to work as associate medical director for Pfizer Medical Research. In 1973, he opened his own internal medicine and cardiology practice in Norwich. He also served as house physician at Lawrence and Memorial Hospital in New London and consulted for organizations such as the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, the National Library of Medicine, and the University of New Hampshire Health Services on medical practice and the application of computers.

He never truly retired. His later years were focused on public health service through his work as an expert witness for the Social Security Administration, his service as clinician for the Methadone Maintenance Program with the Hartford Dispensary, and the Veteran's Administration.

In addition to medical practice, he had a passion for medicine-related research which he shared with the medical community. He had a particular interest in pioneering computer applications in medical practice. He lectured and his work was published by Prentice-Hall, and in journals such as JAMA, Archives of Internal Medicine, Physicians' Weekly, Medical Times, Connecticut Medicine, and the Journal of the Louisiana State Medical Society.

His affiliations included medical schools at LSU, Tulane, George Washington, University of Mississippi, Johns Hopkins, and Albert Einstein University and he received research grants from the National Institute of Health, Touro Infirmary Research Foundation, National Research Council of the National Academy of Science, the Naval Submarine Medical Research Laboratory, and Marquette Electronics Company.

Morton was involved in medical societies such as the Eastern Connecticut Heart Association, where he served as president, he served on the Medical Advisory board for IVI Publishers, and was a member of the Connecticut Peer Review Organization's Data Committee, and the Computer Committee of the Medical Staff at L&M Hospital.

Though committed to his work, Morton was happiest spending time with his family and friends. In his last years, he has made trips to Thailand, China, Europe, and England. He loved to travel, photograph, and listen to live music, draw, read, as well as sailing, fishing, skiing, tennis, and language learning. During his best runs skiing, he sang aloud so that even the people on the chair lifts could hear him. He shared this joy with his children, all of whom have found in themselves not only his strong work ethic, but also his fondness for traveling, skiing, sailing, and other activities.

He is survived by his three children and their spouses, Susan Solomon and Nick Toscano of Providence, R.I., Wyle Solomon and Sung-Hee Chung of Copenhagen, Denmark, Moise Solomon, Stephanie Krasnoff, and a granddaughter Carly Ann Solomon of Chelmsford, Mass.; his devoted friend, Henryka Green, of Salem; and his ex-wives, Janis Solomon of Quaker Hill and Elizabeth Solomon of Groton. Also surviving are his elder siblings, Fran (Solomon) Agranoff of Chicago, Lee Solomon and sister-in-law Julie of Florida, and Alex Solomon and sister-in-law Elaine Solomon of Jackson, Mich.; nephews, Gerry Agranoff of North Salem, N.Y., Howard Aston of West Bloomfield, Mich., Danny Solomon of Virginia, Jeffrey Solomon of West Bloomfield, Mich., and David Solomon of Jackson, Mich.; nieces, Janet Agranoff of Chicago, Nancy Agranoff of Appalachin, N.Y., Beth Solomon of Glencoe, Ill., and Judy Aston of Georgia.

Visiting hours will be held at his home at 5 Towne Street in Norwich on Sunday, April 20, from 2 to 4 p.m. Funeral services are private for the family and under the direction of the Church & Allen Funeral Home.

Donations in his honor may be made to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 10 Brookline Place West, 6th floor Brookline, MA 02445-7226 ATTN: Contribution Services.