Solomon R. Martin, Jr. was born on August 31, 1932 to the union of Solomon R. Martin, Sr. and Mabel Ruth House Martin in Chicago, IL. He was raised on the South Side in the Englewood neighborhood with his two younger brothers Lorenzo and Delano Martin. Sol, as he was affectionately called, accepted Christ at an early age and attended Cosmopolitan Community Church. Sol attended Sherwood Grammar School and Englewood High School in Chicago. He was active in the ROTC as a Lieutenant as well as Careers Club. Due to his many academic achievements he was able to graduate early in January 1950.
Sol was a man of many talents and interests. Sol learned to play the piano at an early age and his mother was known to remark that he had a "nice touch" and did not "bang the keys". He was an avid roller skater and spent his free time at Park City Roller Rink. Sol was very laid back, but put on some Steppers music and you could not keep him off the dance floor. He was also extremely competitive and loved shooting pool and playing cards. The pool table at his home was the center of many family gatherings. Sol was so good at shooting pool, the only person who could beat him was his older brother Herman. Besides shooting pool, you could often find Sol playing Bid Whist, Bridge, and Poker. His competitive nature would not let you win. He would trash talk to the very end, slam cards on the table, and insult his opponent by calling them "rookie" as they got up from the table. Sol loved to gamble and also enjoyed horse racing and the river boat casinos!
After high school, Sol attended Woodrow Wilson Junior College (now Kennedy King College) and in December 1952 was drafted in the the US Army to fight in the Korean War. In September 1954, Solomon was honorably discharged and received the Korean Service Ribbon with 1 Bronze Star, Uniform Service Medal, United Nations Service Medal, Korea Republic Presidential Unit Citation and Combat Infantry Badge.
Upon returning to Chicago in 1955, Solomon met and married Evelyn Martin nee Pillows and to this union two children were born: Valerie and Ronald. In 1975, he married Nedra Martin nee Everly and to this union two daughters were born: Monica Lynn and Andrea Denise.
Solomon started his career as a Fuller Brush man and later worked for Moordale Corporation in the fashion manufacturing district of Chicago which fed his passion for dressing "clean". Sol then went on to work for the Union working his way up from activist and union representative at Young Daybrook to Business Manager of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1031 and eventually retired in 1995.
Sol had a very laid back and often serious disposition and had no problem speaking his mind. His family often joked about him being on his "soapbox" but when he spoke you were going to get pure unadulterated truth. He loved his family and spent lots of time with his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. He was very generous and loved to spoil his children and grandchildren. He never told you no, especially his girls. For years he traveled often to Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska to visit his cousins. He was especially close to his cousin Jonas House who preceded him in death.
He was blessed to find love again later in life and in 2008 he married Cynthia Berry. She shared a love of his favorite pastime and was his loving companion until his death.
On April 29, 2021, God called Solomon home. He was reunited in death with his parents Solomon Sr. and Mabel Martin; his brother Herman Martin, and his sister Clemonteen Smith.
Solomon is survived by his loving wife Cynthia; children Valerie (James Barnes) Magee, Homewood, IL, Ronald Martin, Gary, IN, Monica (Cornelius Derrick) Martin, Cedar Hill, TX, and Andrea (Bryan) Baker, Cooper City, FL; brothers Lorenzo Martin, Atlanta, GA, Delano (Phyllis) Martin, Kalamazoo, MI; Grandchildren: Omari (Toyetta) Winfrey, Eric Winfrey, and Randi (Duane) Jackson, Jared Baker, Brandon Baker, and Bryanna Baker; Great Grandchildren: Keyontae, Amari, Mckenzie, Donovan, Daymion, Ameerah, Aidan, Peyton, Bailey, and Ryan; special family Emmitt House, Randy Winfrey, and Adia Winfrey; stepdaughters Chappel Billings, Lynette Weston, Amber Berry; nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of other family and friends.
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