Dear Anita and family,
    I am so sorry for the loss of your father.  It was so special to witness how much your father was loved and honored not only by your family, but by friends and acquaintances, too.  How wonderful you are surrounded by such a loving family.  What beautiful memories you must have! Your family continues to be in our thoughts and prayers.

Howard, Sue; Anita, David; Cyndi, Marshal: We continue to thnk of you, and Sol and Ronnie, all the time.  Love, Barbara in Austin

Dear Heller Family,

Our thoughts and prayers go out to your family today as you mourn the sudden loss of Uncle Sol, so soon after the loss of your beloved mother Aunt Rita. Somehow, it seems only fitting that they share the joys of heaven together as they shared the joys in this life together for so many years, side by side.  They will be missed and forever in our hearts.

Love, Susan and Phil

Farewell to a kind and gentle caring physician. Over the 20 + years I knew him as a champion for great care. He was no nonsense in business and I know he will be missed.

Anita, there are no words that can help you in this difficult time.  Your father was a wonderful person whose love for you was evident in his words and actions.  Our thoughts and prayers are with you.  Bev and Dean Haynes

My prayers to your family. I was lucky enough to get to know both of them when they would frequent the gym.Ronnie's smile was a light in my exercise class and always a beautiful soul.I do not recall one being to far behind from another, so it seems fitting to picture them hand in hand together the handsome couple. I saw them again not but a year ago at the Oncology Clinic and even though he shared a bit of his concerns-they were about his lovely wife Ronnie 1st concern. Ms. Heller sweet, smiling and ever so caring was so cheerful. Dr. Heller he was the gentleman intelligent and I can say she would shine in his eyes and vise versa. Your family now has 2 guardians who will not be far even thou they are not here physically, you will hear and sense them near, and in your hearts.  We will also miss them. God Blessed you.

Dear Daddy, 
Oh how I miss you already.  You were always the safe harbor during  the storm.  I remember at our wedding when the ring bearer fainted and we all just stood there frozen, you rushed to rescue and took care of little Yori and saved the day, and the wedding!  
You were known to family and friends as a gifted photographer.  You saw the world through your camera lens the way an artist sees the world on his canvas.  I would ask you where you were when you took a particularly magnificent shot, not recognizing the vista, and you would remind me that I had been by your side when you took it.  Our most cherished photographs of Josh and Jenna were not taken by a professional studio photographer, but were taken with love by you.  
Dad you were a man of great integrity.  You treated every human being with respect.  Your patients trusted you and admired you.  Our family loved and adored you.  You and mom taught us how to live a life centered around our family and each other.  You showed us by example the value of a strong work ethic, integrity, and love.  
I wish I had known that just 20 days after losing Mom, we would lose you too.  There are so many questions I would have asked you.  I know that you knew we loved you, but I would have told you a thousand times more.  It is so hard for me to imagine that I will never hear your voice again and I will never see your loving face again.  The only thing that will help us get through this, is knowing that mom called you to join her and you dutifully responded, like you always did.  
I know I will never get over losing you and Mom, but as a friend told me - I will slowly learn to go on without you both, but I will always keep the two of you in my heart.
I love you forever,
Your Cynphony

Good afternoon.  It is difficult to be up here again so soon, but I would like to share some thoughts and memories of our beloved Zede on behalf of my cousins Katie, Josh, Andrew, Jenna and Grace and my brother David.

Our Zede was an incredibly compassionate and intelligent person who was filled with a passion for life, the UTEP Miners and most of all, his family.  He was a renaissance man: from medicine, to gardening, to photography, to sports and a little bit of everything else along the way, he was enthusiastic about the world around him and always curious to learn more every day.

He cherished his relationship with each of us and always was involved in our lives even though none of us live here in El Paso.  Along with our Bobe, he shared in all of our most important memories and helped unite us as a family.  He listened carefully to our stories about our activities at school, work, camp or generally in life and always was able to offer sage advice that we were sure to follow going forward.  He delighted in our achievements and always had motivational yet practical words of encouragement when we stumbled.  He had a great sense of humor and a great chuckle to match.  He loved to joke around, whether it was making up words in a game of Scrabble and saying “What, no good?,” complaining about the deer eating his beautiful garden or posing for the camera while buying his first pair of cowboy boots.  And although Zede was a soft spoken person by nature, it was always clear how much he loved us.  We will always cherish his hugs and kisses and will miss his words of wisdom.

Zede encouraged us all to work hard so that we could reach our true potential and achieve our dreams.  He was extremely dedicated to his work as a physician, and he worked diligently every day so that he could learn more about medicine.  He was passionate about helping others and was able to combine his brilliance with his compassionate nature in a way that inspired the trust and confidence of the many patients he helped throughout the years.  He inspired each of us with his strong work ethic, success and passion for his profession to pursue our own dreams.

Zede also had a passion for adventure that he shared through his love of travel.  He and  Bobe made it a priority in their lives to explore the world and learn from other cultures.   Zede was also a beautiful photographer whose photos captured so much of the character and flavor of each new person and place that they saw, and we loved to pore over his photographs and learn about the journeys that he and Bobe had taken.  We were always so fascinated by their stories of their travel to places in Asia, Africa, Europe and even Antarctica. We have so many wonderful memories of listening to and watching his carefully orchestrated slideshows that made us feel like we were with them in these exotic countries instead of snuggling on the living room floor.  We also were lucky enough to travel with him and Bobe as an entire family to the extreme ends of the United States from Alaska to Hawaii.  We will always share his love for travel and now are inspired to follow in his footsteps by exploring the world and its adventures for ourselves.

Most of all, when we remember Zede, we remember the incredible loving partnership that he shared with our Bobe.  We always will think of the two of them as the perfect inseparable pair who shared their entire lives, from their work, to their hobbies to their family.  They always made sure to take care of each other and were the perfect balance of personalities.  Although voices might have been raised, it was never in argument, but so that each hear each other.  We will always remember them as a beautiful example of love, friendship, strength and stability as a couple through good times and bad that we hope to echo in our own relationships in the future.  Zede's devotion to Bobe lasted until the very end of his life, and today we can take comfort in the fact that they have now graduated from 59 beautiful years together as a loving couple on earth to spending an eternity together united in their love.  

To Zede: we are so inspired by your hard work, your passion for learning about the world and the way you always treated others with respect and compassion.  You are such an inspiration to us and we will always remember all that you taught us about love, hard work and family. We promise to always try to follow the wonderful example you set for us professionally, romantically and personally.

We are so sorry for your sudden loss. Our thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time.  Bev and Dean Haynes

Dr. Heller,
Sir, I would just like to say thank you for your service and sacrifice for our Country when you served in the USAF during the Korean War. And to your family and loved ones, I wish to extend my deepest sympathy.

Anita's eulogy:

                          EULOGY FOR MY FATHER, SOLOMON HELLER 


IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO BELIEVE, THAT IT IS ONLY 3 WEEKS
SINCE WE BURIED MY MOTHER,  AND YET WE ARE HERE TO EULOGIZE MY FATHER.  JUST TWO WEEKS AGO MY FATHER, SOLOMON HELLER WAS BEREAVED, BUT IN STRONG PHYSICAL HEALTH.  DAYS LATER HE COULD HARDLY BREATHE AND WAS OVERCOME BY PNEUMONIA.

REST EASY FATHER, I PRAY YOU ARE NOW AT PEACE WITH NO MORE SUFFERING.  THAT YOUR BELOVED WIFE IS AT YOUR SIDE. AND YOUR PARENTS AND EXTENDED FAMILY ARE THERE WITH YOU TOO.

SOLOMON HELLER WAS BORN IN MEXICO CITY TO PARENTS WHO BOTH HAILED FROM ODESSA, THEN PART OF RUSSIA. MY DAD'S GRANDPARENTS WERE ABLE TO MIGRATE DIRECTLY TO THE UNITED STATES, BUT THE REST OF THE FAMILY HAD TO GO FIRST TO MEXICO.  MY FATHER'S PARENTS, ABRAHAM AND RAYA HELLER  AND HIS UNCLE MYLES HELLER, WERE THE LAST TO LEAVE MEXICO, AND HENCE THEIR LAST NAMES WERE TRANSLATED DIFFERENTLY FROM THE REST OF THE FAMILY TO HELLER FROM GELLER. ABRAHAM HAD ENJOYED MEXICO AND EL PASO WAS A NICE BLEND OF THE UNITED STATE AND MEXICO FOR HIM.

SOLOMON ARRIVED IN EL PASO AT THE AGE OF NINE YEARS OLD.  HE  ATTENDED BOTH HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE IN EP. LATER HE OBTAINED HIS MEDICAL DEGREE FROM WHAT IS NOW UT/GALVESTON.  FOR HIS INTERNSHIP AND RESIDENCY HE HEADED UP TO CHICAGO TO WHERE THE REST OF HIS FAMILY WAS AND HE INTERNED AT MICHAEL REESE, WHICH WAS THEN A VERY PRESTIGIOUS HOSPITAL. IT IS HERE HE MET A LOVELY DIETITIAN BY THE NAME OF ROWENA RUBINFELD FROM WINNIPEG, WHO WHIPPED HIM UP CORDON BLEU AND ALL KINDS OF DELECTABLES AT THAT GOURMET HOSPITAL AND THEY FELL HEAD OVER HEELS FOR EACH OTHER.  SEVERAL YEARS LATER THEY WOULD RETURN TO EL PASO TO SETTLE DOWN WITH THEIR BELOVED CHILDREN,  THEIR  VERY TIGHT-KNIT LOVING FAMILY AND A NETWORK OF EXTRAORDINARY FRIENDS WHO THEY CHERISHED.

DAD ALWAYS ENJOYED SCIENCE, PERHAPS LIKE HIS MOTHER, WHO WAS RUMORED TO BE ANYTHING FROM A NURSE TO A PARAMEDIC TO A DOCTOR IN RUSSIA. THERE WAS A STORY OF DAD DOING A SCIENCE PROJECT IN HIS PARENTS HOME, AND AN EXPLOSION COMING OUT OF IT. (YEARS LATER OUR FIRST COUSIN MAURICE WAS TO GENERATE A  SIMILAR CHEMICAL EXPLOSION IN HIS ROSEN GRANDPARENTS HOME). 

WHILE DAD WAS NOT VERY CONVERSATIONAL UNTIL AFTER HE RETIRED, IF YOU PUSHED HIM, HE  COULD CONVERSE INTELLIGENTLY ON THE WIDEST RANGE OF SUBJECTS OF ANYONE I HAVE EVERY KNOWN. AS A CHILD, HE TOLD HOWARD HE HAD EXHAUSTED ALL THE SCIENCE BOOKS AT HIS HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY. AND HE LOVED TO WATCH THE SCIENCE AND ANIMAL CHANNELS.

HE LOVED TO BE OUTSIDE AND  TO GARDEN. HE HAD BEAUTIFUL ROSES OF EVERY COLOR THAT HE CULTIVATED IN THE DESERT AND HE RAISED VARIOUS VEGETABLES THAT WE ATE  AS WELL.

DAD ALSO LOVED PHOTOGRAPHY. FROM A YOUNG AGE, HE DEVELOPED HIS OWN PHOTOGRAPHS IN A DARK ROOM AT HOME. 
AS HE BECAME AN ADULT, HIS EQUIPMENT BECAME MORE AND MORE SOPHISTICATED. NIKON KNEW SOLOMON HELLER. HE TOOK THE MOST BEAUTIFUL, BRILLIANT PICTURES OF FLOWER FORMATIONS AND GLISTENING PETALS WITH DEWDROPS.  DAD EXTENSIVELY DOCUMENTED OUR FAMILY HISTORY WITH VIDEOS AND PHOTOGRAPHS-EVERYONE IN THE FAMILY CAN REMEMBER MY DAD AND HIS CAMERA AT OUR FAMILY GATHERINGS.

DAD AND MOM SHARED THE LOVE OF TRAVEL. THEY TRAVELLED FAR AND WIDE, WELL BEFORE IT BECAME THE FASHION. ASIA, AFRICA, EUROPE, ANTARCTICA WERE ALL ON THEIR ITINERARY. AND THROUGHOUT , DAD TOOK MARVELOUS PICTURES THAT THEY SHARED WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY,

BUT FOR MOST OF DAD'S LIFE, HE WAS A DEVOTED PHYSICIAN. HE TREATED EVERY PATIENT WITH CARE AND RESPECT. FOR A COUPLE OF DECADES OF HIS PRACTICE, THERE WERE NO PHYSICIAN SPECIALISTS IN EL PASO, SO IN ORDER TO CARE FOR HIS PATIENTS, DAD HAD TO FOLLOW ALL THE BREAKTHROUGHS IN ALMOST EVERY FIELD OF MEDICINE. I REMEMBER HIM AT STUDY EVERY WEEK NIGHT AFTER  HE CAME HOME FROM WORK.  HE REALLY CARED AND TOOK HIS RESPONSIBILITY TO HEART. AND HIS PATIENTS AND COLLEAGUES
RECOGNIZED THIS. HE WAS WIDELLY RESPECTED BY HIS COLLEAGUES AND HIS PATIENTS ADORED HIM AND CONTINUED TO CONTACT HIM EVEN AFTER HE HAD RETIRED.

I WAS BLESSED TO HAVE TWO VERY LOVINGS PARENTS WHO PROVIDED ME A LIFE RICH WITH LOVE, FAMILY, EDUCATION AND SUPPORT. I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR THIS LEGACY AND THE TRADITIONS OUR PARENTS LEFT TO US.

Solomon Heller Eulogy

Here we all are again, less than three weeks after mourning the loss of our beloved mother while celebrating her life.  At that time, we commented that the weather reflected her Canadian origin.  Today, we have the kind of perfect El Paso weather that lured my father back to his boyhood home.  The rapidity between the monumental losses of both elements at the foundation of our life and upbringing is both numbing and paralyzing.  Yet, the unlimited support of both friends and family has been amazing and nurturing.  I simply cannot describe the uplifting and vast outpouring of encouragement and tangible help we have received in their honor.  It palpably demonstrates how our parents touched the lives of SO many people.  While the loss of Mom is still overwhelming in our minds, let me turn our attention now to Dad.

Solomon, Sol,  or Zalman Heller was an amazing father, a devoted husband, a prominent physician, a photographer extraordinaire, a gardener and, of course, a genuine Sports nut.  He was amazingly patient despite having three annoying children, of which I was the most annoying.  Stop nodding Anita and Cyndi.  In the last fifty years, I can only think of one time when he became angry.  Even that episode, which was fully justified, was very brief.  Another time, I wrecked his dream car doing something silly.  Instead of angry accusations or threats of punishment, he showered me with the concerned questions about my health.  He was a role model that I have tried to emulate.  After my sisters left for college, I had four years as an only child at home to spend time with him and to get to know him. I would wandering into his room at night to talk, as the television blared some type of sports event.  He found a way to make me feel welcome and special.  He was generally a man of few words, but when he did speak, his wisdom and dry sense of humor were evident. 

Dad loved Mom deeply.  Watching them, we learned the realities of a healthy marriage.  For a marriage to last successfully, there must be give and take.  Let me give two examples.  Dad danced for Mom, meeting many wonderful people who became lifelong friends.  Mom attended Sports events for Dad.  While they allowed each other space for their diverse interests, they spent most of their time together whether at work or at home or around the world.  Arguments are inevitable in any relationship, but Dad and Mom always made up quickly rather than letting the petty tensions fester.  Their love and continued romance was always evident for each other; yet, they also showered love and kindness on others.  I can picture Mom and Dad looking lovingly into each other's eyes as they embraced.  

Dad practiced Internal Medicine over forty years.  Growing up, I remember patients greeting him lovingly wherever we went.  Even after he retired twelve years ago, we would encounter former patients imploring him to continue his practice. Dad worked long hours without complaining.  I remember going on rounds with him in the hospital and observing his discussions with colleagues and his patience and kindness with the nurses.  Interestingly, when Dad was in the ICU, several nurses told us how they remembered him fondly especially remembering how he did not yell at them unlike other doctors.  He put in the work to stay current, even reading the journals and attending lectures after retirement.  Impressed with Dad's knowledge and commitment to his patients and his profession, I idolized him and wanted to follow his footsteps.  It's a good thing I did or I might not have met my wife, Dr. Susan Heller.

Dad loved photography.  He always had a camera or three ready at family events. I remember him wearing a fishing jacket and lugging a heavy camera bag to hold all the necessary camera gear.  We loved watching the family movies over and over, especially when he would play them backwards, so we could watch the pool splash being sucked into the water, the jumper or diver being expelled out of the pool, landing gracefully on the diving board.  I have picked up that hobby, irritating family members who ask me to put the camera away already.  

I wonder if Dad's interest in gardening developed in part due to Mom's love of flowers.  I remember her eyes lighting up whenever he surprised her with flowers or brought in roses from the garden.  I never developed Dad's gift of gardening- fortunately, my wife has that end covered.  However, he definitely infused me with the love of sports.  Dad loved sports, especially basketball and football.  I loved going to Miner basketball games with him and watching professional sports on the TV.  Every night, he would fall asleep with some sports event on the TV, another marital concession by Mom.

Dad.  Your family and friends sit here today numb and grieving your loss, a loss that was so sudden and unexpected, a loss that was so soon after that of Mom.  Yet, somewhere deep inside us, even as we achingly miss you, we know you are in a better place now- a place free from suffering, a place with the comfort and companionship of your wife and family.  Dad we miss you and Mom, but we will always hold you in our heart.  We will feel your presence guiding us, especially when we work hard, when we love and when we share.

Today, we have shared a few memories with all of you.  We hope you will share your memories with us directly today or online, to help us better remember and love our father.

Dear Y'all,

Our hearts are with you and your entire family at this solemn moment.  It bears repeating what a brilliant, compassionate and savvy man Dr. Solomon Heller was.  An inspiration to us all.  He has gone to join his beloved Ronnie and they are no doubt smiling down on us all forever. 

The huge contributions he gave to so many of his family, friends and patients will live on in our hearts and memories forever.

Love,
Eva & Steve

OBITUARY

Solomon Heller

28 November, 1927 – 20 January, 2013

Martin Funeral Home

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