Carmen Maria del Carmel Aguirre Martinez Solon, loving wife to John James Solon, Esquire; daughter-in-law of Sir Edward James Solon and Lady Kathleen; and last surviving child of Jose Martinez and Felicita Isabel Leonidas Salinas Aguirre, an old Colonial Spanish Land Grant family from Leon, Spain, passed away peacefully on May 28, 2026. Born in “Little Mexico” in Dallas Texas on July 17, 1927 she was preceded in her death by her husband John, her brother Joseph Raul, her sister Leonora, and her sons Patrick and William. She is survived by her two daughters Rita Ste. Marie (Jerrold Prothero) and Loretta (William Greene) and four of her six sons, Paul (Nancy), Edward (Lisa), Michael (Libby), Brendan (Juvilynn). She is also survived by 15 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren. After losing her parents in childhood and overcoming tuberculosis, Carmen attended Our Lady of the Pines boarding school in Chatawa, Mississippi; and graduated from Hotel Dieu School of Nursing in New Orleans. Carmen qualified as a Registered Nurse due to the loving care of her guardians, Kathleen "Hutchie" Hutchison and Sister Brendan O'Beirne, a pioneering nun of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul who managed a Sanitarium that she later led and developed into St. Paul's Hospital of Dallas. This inspired Carmen to dedicate her
professional career to elderly care and hospice as Dallas County created the Visiting Nurses Program. As the last matriarch of an old Dallas family, Mrs. Solon spent many years in active service as part of the Catholic community. Carmen also enjoyed the pursuits of her eight children, many of whom were active in Washington, DC Presidential and Senatorial politics. She also enjoyed the
preservation efforts by her architect son. She will be greatly missed by many, young and old, whom she cared for over a lifetime of service, sacrifice and love.
