It is with great sadness that we mourn the death of Dr. Solon B. Holstein, who lost his long battle with non-Hodgkins Lymphoma on November 27, 2023. He died at home in Eureka. He is survived by his loving wife, Shelley Jaeger Holstein (née Wolk) of 50 years, his daughters, Jennifer and Julie Holstein (m. Noah Rosen) and his two stepchildren, Stephen Jaeger (p. Dayna Desmond) and Nicole Jaeger (m. Daniel Erlij). He leaves behind seven grandchildren: Ila and Miles Holstein-Rosen, Jonah Rosenblatt, Daniel and Audrey Jaeger and Alexandra and Elliot Erlij, all of whom he adored. He is also survived by his younger sister, Sharon Fingerhut (m. Lester Fingerhut) of North Carolina, his Brother and sister-in-law, Elliot and Nancy Wolk of New York his nephew Andrew Wolk and wife Jodi who held a special place in his heart, as well as several other nieces, nephews, and cousins about whom he had much love and respect.

He never missed an opportunity to talk about his community of loving and devoted friends, with whom he enjoyed long walks, lively conversation and a mutual love of classical music. They enriched his life with endless warmth, intellect, humor and compassion. A note of special appreciation goes to Steve Henry, John Gambin, and Ed Olsgard who were steadfast by his side throughout the long dying process. Solon was preceded in death by his parents, Morris M. Holstein (b. NY d. 2000) and Ester Holstein (b. Ukraine d. 1991), an older brother David Holstein, his first wife, Martha B. Holstein (d. 2022) and, of course, his beloved cat, Molly Gatto.

Dr. Holstein was born in the Bronx, New York in 1939. He graduated from NY University in Binghamton (Nee Harper College) with a degree in Psychology and received a Master in Arts in 1980 and Ph.D in Philosophy from the University of Missouri in 1983. He completed post-doctoral work in Neurophysiology at the Brain Research Institute of UCLA.

Solon began his career at the VA Hospital in Long Beach under the auspices of the Brain Research Institute. There he led a team of researchers studying the brain with an emphasis on understanding pain and how one compensates for sensory loss. He went on to obtain his Ph.D in Clinical Neuropsychology when recruited by his longtime friend, Dr. John Gambin, to set up a pain management clinic in Eureka. Together with his wife, Shelley, he opened a general psychotherapy practice called the North Coast Center for Pain and Stress Management in 1977, with an emphasis on neurological disorders. In 1993, he helped establish the North Coast Association for Mental Health Practitioners (NCCAMPH ), a non-profit organization of multidisciplinary mental health practitioners that provided continuing education, a collective to deal with the issues of managed care, and a general resource of professionals for the community.

Solon was a natural born artist, captivated by the beauty of the world as seen through his camera lens. At an exhibit of his photographs months before he died, Solon said, “When I was young, I was always in a hurry to get somewhere, photography taught me to stop and really look at the magnificence of nature.”

At home in Eureka, his creativity extended to designing and maintaining his beautiful garden where he spent countless hours in his yard among the Redwood trees. Solon spent most of his summers with Shelley at their special ‘camp’ on Great Pond in Maine.There he loved to kayak and photograph the intriguing Loons of the lake and the magnificent sunsets. He never failed to notice the tiniest details that distinguished each new composition. In addition, he loved sitting on the porch overlooking the lake while carving intricate wooden birds and fish. He traveled extensively and read voraciously. His curiosity, about the science of all living things, never ceased.

He and his family want to thank the outstanding Lymphoma team at Stanford Medical Center, headed by Dr. Ranjana Advani, who, for 20 years, treated him with compassion and allowed him to live his last decades to the fullest. We also have the utmost gratitude for the kind and gentle medical staff at Hospice of Humboldt. along with his wonderful team of private caretakers, who cared for him with love and dignity, kept him physically comfortable and supported him and his wife emotionally until the end of his life.

A memorial service is planned for April 7 at Temple Beth El, Eureka. For further information contact: TBE at 707 444-2846. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be sent to Hospice of Humboldt, Temple Beth El, or an Environmental organization of your choice.

Solon Holstein was a soft-spoken, intelligent, loving man. His guiding principals in life were integrity (always be your word) and be kind (you can always be kind)!

He will be sorely missed.

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