James E. "Butch" Solomon

James E “Butch” Solomon, age 82, of Sarasota Florida went to be with our Lord on Tuesday, November 19, 2024. Butch was born on January 21, 1942, in Atlanta Georgia. He grew up in Douglasville, Georgia. During his high school years, he met the love of his life, Norma Hunnicutt. He was a phenomenal athlete excelling in football, basketball, baseball and was also a golden gloves champion boxer. He entered into the US Army and became an 82nd Airborne paratrooper. He also “walked on” as the quarterback for the US Army team for 2 years in Fort Bragg, NC. Butch and Norma were married in Lithia Springs Georgia in 1961 and had an amazing life together for 63 years. He was a faithful and loving husband, father, and grandfather. He became a police officer for the Marietta Police Department and served there until his retirement in 1980. After retiring, he developed a passion for wildlife photography and his photos were donated to multiple state parks in Georgia and Florida where they are admired by many. Later in life he and Norma volunteered at the Chattahoochee Nature Center rehabilitating birds of prey where he received the “Volunteer of the Year Award” several years in a row. His passion for athleticism led him to become a boxing coach in the Atlanta area. He met many professional boxers and lead several men and women to the Lord through sharing his testimony. He is preceded in death by his mother, Molly Brown, and his son in law, Bill Ackerly. He is survived by his loving wife, Norma, his two daughters, Donna Ackerly and Wendy Cohen, his son in law, Jeff Cohen, his two grandchildren, Matthew Cohen and Jordan Cohen, and his brother-in-law, Philip Hunnicutt, sister-in-law, Harriet Smith, and many, many nieces, nephews and friends that loved him dearly. He was a hero to everyone who knew him. He will always be our hero. We would like to thank all the staff at Life Care Center in Sarasota and the residents who became our extended family over the last 2 years. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory, to the Chattahoochee Nature Center Wildlife Department in Roswell, Georgia would be greatly appreciated. There will be a private military honors ceremony for the family at Sarasota National Cemetery on December 9, 2024, at 2:30pm.

Tributes

James E. "Butch" Solomon

January 21, 1942 - November 19, 2024