William "Bill" Ted Solomon

William “Bill” Ted Solomon of Show Low passed away on September 17, 2020, in Scottsdale. A fighter who did not want to leave his family prematurely, he fended off death for 22 years—through two forms of cancer, a quadruple bypass, and multiple stints. He finally succumbed, surrounded by his wife and children, to heart failure after complications from a recent surgery.

The son of Pearl (Bates) and William Roy Solomon, Bill was born in Winslow on October 17, 1943, and grew up in Taylor. When Bill was seven years old, his father was killed in a tragic lumber mill accident, leaving Pearl to raise their eight children alone. With his siblings providing plenty of cover from his mother’s supervision, he could at times be a bit mischievous—a trait he would retain into adulthood.

After returning honorably from a Spanish-speaking mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Bill met Rita Claire Tenney while water skiing with friends on White Mountain Lake. Six months later—on January 21, 1967—they married in Show Low and were sealed for time and all eternity in the Mesa Arizona Temple on September 28, 1973. They were married for 53 years.

Bill’s greatest joy was spending time with his children and grandchildren, which often meant playing or watching sports. He coached his daughters in softball and his sons in baseball, and tried never to miss a ballgame. A descendant of pioneers, he also enjoyed cutting wood for his legendary woodpile, tending to his garden, and fishing, hunting, and camping with his family. He loved learning about the gospel of Jesus Christ and serving in His church, including as a worker in the Snowflake Arizona Temple for nearly four years—alongside Rita.

A viewing will be held on Saturday, September 26, from 9:45 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. at the Show Low Stake Center of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, located at 1401 West Deuce of Clubs in Show Low. The funeral will follow at 11:00 a.m. in the same location, with interment at the Show Low Cemetery. Bill’s family respectfully requests that social-distancing guidelines be followed during the services, including the use of masks.

Bill is survived by his wife, Rita; his six children (and five children-in-law)—Billy (Tina), Rick (Alexandra), Gena (DL) Brewer, Chris (Janel), Emily (James) Greenlaw, and Russell—his 16, soon to be 17, grandchildren; and his seven siblings.

Faithful to the end, he is now eternally reunited with his grandparents, his mother, and—at long last—his father.