Obituary of Solomon Berkman

Solomon Berkman of LebanonTownship, NJ. died June 10, 2012 at 81. Sol was born June 25, 1930 in Brooklyn, NY, the son of William and Esther (Samuels) Berkman. Sol grew up in Brooklyn. He attended Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute, earned a masters degree in Electrical Engineering, and served in the US Navy during the Korean War. In 1954, he married Pat Tran, and moved to New Jersey, where they raised 3 sons. Sol was a successful inventor and entrepreneur. In the 1970s, Sol built and ran the Knoll Indoor Tennis Club in Parsippany, NJ, which still operates today. He then invented a system, to cut energy usage during the 1970s energy crisis. In 2012, despite health battles, Sol designed and built a DC-AC generator for his home to provide water and electricity during power failures. Sol loved sports (Mets, Jets, Rangers), but his greatest love was his family. Family always came first for Sol and they all looked to him for his wisdom, kindness, support and love. He enjoyed talking, debating, and sharing ideas. His open mind, curiosity about the world, sense of humor, and openness to new ideas made for a vibrant, lively, intellectual home with a great sense of fun. Sol is survived by his wife Pat; sons Robert, Budd and Don; grandchildren Julia and Zachary; daughters in law Monica and Mary; step-granddaughter Cecelia, her husband Toke, and his great granddaughter Ida. His family and friends loved Sol and will miss him deeply. Sol was a lifelong advocate of the critical role of science in the world. Therefore, the family has established the Solomon Berkman Science Scholarship Fund. The scholarship will be given to deserving high school students. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made by writing a check to "Miss Pat's Science Club" which will fund the scholarship. The address is 628 Woodglen Road, Glen Gardner, NJ 08826.