Funeral Mass on Dec. 5 for Fred J. Solman

Fred John Solman III died peacefully surrounded by family on November 27, 2024 in Sudbury at the age of 80, after an eight-year battle with Alzheimer’s.

John is survived by wife Claire, children John Solman (Gina), Monique Thompson (Matthew), Marie Xavier (Andrew) and Nicole Solman (Jason Gagnon), and his grandchildren Viviana and Benjamin. He is preceded in death by his parents, Fred and Lucille Solman, of Hammond, Indiana; his parents-in-law Madeleine and Andre Fortier of Biddeford, Maine; and a sister-in-law Pauline Briggs of Lexington.

His children remember him as a kind and loving father who encouraged them to pursue their goals. His unwavering support taught his children the values of perseverance, hard work, and self-belief, ensuring their path to success.

John was born on July 13, 1944 in Chicago to Fred and Lucille Solman. He graduated from Purdue University in 1973 with a Ph.D. in electrical engineering. He married Claire Fortier in 1975 in St. Andre’s Church in Biddeford, Maine. After moving to Massachusetts, John began working for MIT Lincoln Laboratories, where he worked for over 46 years. He helped deploy a solar power plant system for Natural Bridges National Monument in Utah, was part of the Hubble repair mission in 1993, and worked on the NOAA GOES weather satellites, for which he received a 2017 NASA Agency Honor Award. He supported MIT Lincoln Laboratories’ community outreach programs and served as an ombudsman.

John was passionate about Boy Scouts, having earned his Eagle Scout rank as a youth and the Silver Beaver Award as an adult. He served as the assistant scoutmaster in Lincoln for Troop 127. He spent many weekends on camping trips and supporting the Scouts’ journey to Eagle Scout. He was an active ham radio operator having obtained an extra license class with the call sign K9YB, previously WA9AMZ. He was a faithful member of the Catholic Church. He enjoyed swimming, beekeeping and gardening.

The funeral Mass is scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 5 at 10 a.m. at Saint Brigid Church in Lexington. All are welcome to attend and celebrate John’s life. Internment will be private at Saint Joseph’s Cemetery in Biddeford, Maine. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Pine Street Inn. The family would like to thank Bridges by Epoch in Sudbury and Care Dimensions of Danvers for their care in his final days.