The lives of Nat Solomon and Cecilia Greene, described by those who knew them as dedicated community activists, were celebrated recently during a heartfelt memorial event held in Van Cortlandt Village after they recently passed away one day apart. The late Nat Solomon died on Monday, Jan. 22, aged 80, and as reported, the late Cecilia Greene died on Tuesday, Jan. 23, at the age of 91.

 

The memorial, held on Tuesday, Feb. 6, at the JASA Van Cortlandt Older Adult Center, located at 3880 Sedgwick Avenue, was billed as a celebration of the two seniors whose lives, organizers said, were devoted to community service. The ceremony was an occasion for friends from the JASA Center to deliver kind words about their two friends and for members to express their heartbreak at their sudden respective deaths.

 

According to those gathered, Solomon was a member and beloved neighbor of the Older Adult Center. He was described as being a major force in community activism as a member of Bronx Community Board 8’s Traffic & Transportation committee and also as a former employee with NYC Department of Transportation (DOT). They said he worked tirelessly to keep the neighborhood and local parks safe and beautiful.

 

Attendees went on to say that at a certain point Solomon held a belief that a local traffic island needed modification. For many years, they said he worked with DOT to get traffic lights installed on dangerous crosswalks like the one at Stevenson and Sedgwick Avenues, which lead to the senior center.

They said thanks to Solomon’s efforts, yellow, caution, flashing lights were installed at the crosswalk to warn drivers about crossing pedestrians. They said Solomon also worked closely with former Bronx DOT Commissioner Nivardo Lopez, now deputy secretary for transportation to New York State Gov. Kathy Hochul, to install new traffic islands to narrow the intersection and make it safer to navigate. They said his other efforts went above and beyond in enforcing parking rules on Goulden Avenue and banning illegal parking by trucks.

 

They said Solomon also advocated for the installation of speed cameras at the intersection to prevent reckless drivers and motorcyclists. They added that he also accomplished a lot when it came to improving traffic lights with a left-turn arrow like the one at Fort Independence.

 

Meanwhile, Greene was described, as previously reported, as a German immigrant from Dresden, Germany and a survivor of WWII and Nazi occupation. Friends said she moved to New York in 1953 and was a 30-year resident of the Amalgamated Housing Cooperative in Van Cortlandt Park South since the 1990s.

 

They said while living at Amalgamated Housing, Greene was an active member of the Board and fought many battles by attending rallies and protest demonstrations. They said she opposed war, advocated for social justice, and was also part of the Occupy Wall Street and other “Occupy” movements. They went on to say that Greene also protested the closure of Meg’s Garden, located on Sedgwick Avenue at DeWitt Clinton High School, which has since reopened as reported.

Members also described Greene as having lived life to the full, and always making the best of everything. They said she marched to the beat of her own drum. Meanwhile, they described Solomon as a very private and humble man, who, nonetheless, they said always seized the opportunity to tell a joke.

 

They said Solomon enjoyed photography and loved art exhibitions. During the event, attendees reflected on their good luck to have had both Solomon and Greene fighting in their corners for a better world. The ceremony came to an end with a musical tribute by the residents of the center singing, “Music Alone Shall Live” by Melinda Carroll. There was also a cake to celebrate the lives of Solomon and Greene, who members said have left a void in the local community.

 

As music from the song filled the air, the lyrics reminded attendees of the lives of the two departed souls: ”All things shall perish under the sky… never to die.”