[SNEC] In Memorium: Marvin Solit: Synergeticist, Philomorph, Healer

[CJ Fearnley]

Marvin Solit died on 29 Dec 2006.  I first met Marvin at the 2002
Bridges Conference.  A few months later Marvin came all the way
from Cambridge, MA to attend the seminal Falls Church, VA meeting
(http://synergeticists.org/snec.meeting.2002.10.html) which led to the
formation of the Synergetics Collaborative.  Marvin attended two of our
Symposia: our first (http://synergeticists.org/snec.meeting.2003.01.html)
and he gave a presentation at our second
(http://synergeticists.org/snec.meeting.2004.03.html).
He presented at our Oswego Workshops in 2004
(http://synergeticists.org/snec.meeting.2004.07.html), and 2005
(http://synergeticists.org/snec.meeting.2005.07.html).  He and his
Foundation for New Directions (http://www.fnd.org) hosted our most
recent Seminar just last November on "Synergetics 3":  Marvin, of course,
gave the main talk at that event.

Marvin's "pattern integrity" will always reverberate through the
Synergetics Collaborative.  Thank you Marvin for your generous
contributions to our young organization!

An obituary appeared in the Boston Globe:

http://www.legacy.com/BostonGlobe/DeathNotices.asp?Page=Lifestory&PersonId=20502694

Marvin Solit

Age 75, of Cambridge, MA died on Friday, December 29, 2006, 8 months after the
passing of his beloved wife Harriet. A native of the Bronx, he graduated as an
osteopath from the Kansas City College of Osteopathy and Surgery (now Kansas
City University of Medicine and Biosciences) in the late 1950s. He was also an
early student of Ida Rolf, the founder of Structural Integration (Rolfing). A
pioneer in holistic thinking, he founded New Englands first Holistic Health
Center in 1966, now known as the Foundation for New Directions. Over these
many years he worked closely with dear friends Jean LeVaux, Alan Fincke, Anya
Olson, David Pap and many others, to build a working Community which
integrated research, professional and personal exploration, and healing. Dr.
Solit's wider communities of interest included the Synergetics Collaborative
(Buckminster Fuller), the Cambridge Philomorphs (Arthur Loeb), the Rolfing
Institute, the study of biology and evolution with Dr. Lynn Margulis, the
physics of Dr. William Day, whose book "A New Physics" the Foundation
published, and the geometry of Vladimir Ginzburg. He developed innovative math
and science educational materials, co-writing and publishing Exploring Math
with Root Blocks with Charles Letovsky and son Matthew Adlai-Gail. An avid
walker and life-long swimmer, he will be remembered for his playful nature and
tireless pursuit of interconnectedness. He is survived by his son and
daughter-in-law, Matthew & Wendy Adlai-Gail, and 3 adored grandchildren David,
Becca and Rachel, all of Princeton Jct., NJ; sister and brother-in-law, Gail &
Irwin Greenberg of Suffern, NY; and brother and sister-in-law, Keith and
Roberta Solit of Potomac, MD. There will be a potluck dinner gathering to
remember Marvin on Tuesday, January 2, 2007 at 6 PM at the Foundation, 93
Belmont St. Cambridge, MA 617-547-6621, fnd8 at aol.com. There will also be a
day-long celebration of Marvins life and work at a date to be announced
(www.fnd.org). Brezniak-Rodman Funeral Directors www.brezniakrodman.com
617-969-0800.

Published in the Boston Globe on 12/31/2006.

-- 
We are on a spaceship; a beautiful one.  It took billions of years to develop.
We're not going to get another.  Now, how do we make this spaceship work?
  -- Buckminster Fuller

CJ Fearnley                |  Explorer in Universe
cjf at CJFearnley.com         |  Design Science Revolutionary
http://www.CJFearnley.com  |  "Dare to be Naive" -- Bucky Fuller