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Sol Silver, 92, passed away peacefully surrounded by family in his San Francisco home on April 30, 2021. He lost his battle with cancer, however he was in good spirits even through his last days, as was his style, thinking about happy events in his wonderful life.
Born to immigrant parents in 1928, Sol, an only child, grew up in a multi-generational home in Detroit, Michigan during the Great Depression.
Sol loved to draw from a young age, and his artistic and design sensibilities made the study of Architecture a natural choice. He studied at Cass Technical Architecture School followed by University of Michigan’s School of Architecture, graduating in 1951.
In 1953 he met his future wife Judith at a Young Judea meeting and a short time later Sol was drafted into the Army. In 1954 Judy and Sol were married in Detroit, following bootcamp and prior to his deployment to Fort Winfield Scott in San Francisco, California.
Sol brought his bride to live in San Francisco and his parents and mother-in-law soon joined them. While in the Army he was a Cartographic Specialist in the Corps of Engineers, Aerial Photo-mapping Division.
After his military service was complete, Sol and Judy moved across the bay and settled in Sausalito, California where Sol designed a modern wood and glass home for his wife and first child, son Samuel. The house in Sausalito, a triumph of mid-century style, was beautiful in form and function, and was one of several projects for which he received recognition and accolades for design over his architectural career, including the AIA-Sunset Wester Home Award.
Sol was in private practice for several years designing many homes, schools, businesses, and community centers in the SF Bay Area. He also lectured on architecture and design at University of California, Berkeley.
In 1961 the family grew when they adopted their daughter Sara, and 10 years later Abigail was born.
Sol left private practice and joined the Marin County Planning Department in 1967, where he worked with others tirelessly to successfully save the open spaces of Marin from urban sprawl and logging. After serving as Chief of Advanced Planning, Sol left his office in the Frank Lloyd Wright building in San Rafael in 1978, retiring from government work, and spent the next 12 years working for PG&E, trading his commute by car for a relaxing ferry ride.
Sol loved life. He never had a negative thing to say about anyone or anything, embodying the term “mensch.” He was always generous with his time. His sunny outgoing personality, passion for learning, and his extraordinary ability to connect with people filled his life with friendships. Seemingly unstoppable, he enjoyed traveling, learning, life sculpture, visiting with friends and family, reading, art, volunteering in his community, tutoring children, music, exercise, tai-chi, theater, ice cream, and in general, living life to the fullest.
He was especially devoted to his synagogue, Congregation Beth Sholom in San Francisco, where he made the morning minyan his second home.
Sol supported and was active in many worthwhile endeavors including The Jewish Community Library, Marin Agricultural Land Trust, Congregation Beth Sholom, SF Playhouse, Berkley Repertory Theater, and Fromm Institute for Lifelong Learning.
Sol Silver is survived by his 3 children Samuel, Sara, and Abigail (Kochavi), his son-in-law Ori Kochavi, and his grandson, Jordan Kochavi.
Sol was laid to rest on Monday May 3, 2021.
May his memory be a blessing.
Sol Silver 