Roger Soloway, M.D. (GI ’71)

Roger was born the 2nd of October, 1935 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the oldest of four children, to Dr. David and Reta Soloway. He graduated from Valley Stream Central High School in 1953 where he ran on the cross country team and played in the band; from Cornell University undergraduate college in 1957 where he played in the marching band, belonged to Acacia Fraternity, and participated in ROTC; and from Cornell University Medical College in 1961. That summer Roger married the love of his life, Marilyn Lee Fields. After completing internship and the first year residency at the Columbia division of Bellevue Hospital, Roger and Marilyn welcomed their first son, Andrew. Soon after his birth, they moved to Paris France where Roger served as Commander of a dispensary in the U.S. Army and as the medical officer who would accompany the top American and NATO brass to secret locations in the event of a military alert. While in France, Roger and Marilyn welcomed their second son, David. In May 1966, they returned to the U.S.A., where Roger completed his medical residency at Bellevue Hospital, a fellowship in gastroenterology at the University of Pennsylvania, and a fellowship in hepatology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota where he and Marilyn welcomed their third son, Russell. They returned to the University of Pennsylvania where Roger treated patients, did research, and held many academic and administrative positions. His research on gallstones, hepatitis, and the liver was published in prestigious American and international journals and is still cited in papers and abstracts today.

Roger’s academic and administrative positions, included full professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, President of the University of Pennsylvania Faculty Senate, Marie P. Gale Centennial Professor at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (now called UTMB Health) where he also served as Chairman of the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology and, for 2 years, concurrently served as Acting Chairman of Medicine. Roger’s Curriculum Vitae lists hundreds of articles published in highly respected national and international medical journals. His work laid a foundation for subsequent and ongoing research as evidenced by citations to Roger’s work in journals and talks every month. Numerous awards and honors attest to his excellence in patient care, research, teaching, and administration including Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, the AGA, TMA, John P McGovern Academy of Oslerian Medicine Excellence in Clinical Teaching Award, and numerous other honorary and professional medical organizations.

A lover of music, throughout his life Roger played sang in various choruses, barbershop quartets, and with his sons, played jazz and classical music on the clarinet, and took up the ukulele after retirement. Among the community organizations Roger supported were the Galveston Symphony Orchestra and Congregation B’nai Israel. Other past times included photography, gardening, and admiring (in awe) the amaryllis that dear friends gave to him every holiday season. Roger’s caring, loving nature and dry sense of humor endeared him to his family, friends, colleagues, and students. He was a remarkable husband, father, grandfather, physician, teacher, researcher, and mentor.

Preceded in death by his parents, Roger is survived by his wife, Marilyn, his sons Andrew, David, and Russell, their wives Erica, Lyn, and Shara, his grandchildren: Aryeh, Ethan, Dinah, and Eva Renee as well as sisters Linda Martinez, Martha Zarkowsky (Bruce), brother Michael , brother-in-law Gary Fields (Rachelle), and numerous nieces and nephews.

Roger leaves many relatives, friends, students, and colleagues to celebrate his life and dedication to his family, friends, patients, research and teaching.

Memorial contributions may be made the the Dr. Roger D. and Marilyn L. Soloway Endowment in Hepatology, UTMB Development Services, 301 University Blvd., Galveston, TX 74555-0148. or the charity of your choice.