John Solomon, a devoted husband, father, brother, and a cherished pillar of St. Luke Greek Orthodox Church, passed away tragically on Friday, January 23, 2026. He was 90.
Born on March 26, 1935, in Vatili, Famagusta, Cyprus, to Chrystalla and Ioannis Solomou, John was the eldest of seven children. His life was shaped early by perseverance and faith.
Born breech and surviving a life-threatening illness at the age of three, John’s survival was marked by an act of devotion that remained central to his life. His grandmother, Solomina, carried him nearly 45 kilometers by horse-drawn carriage to the Church of Chrysosotiros in Akanthou, known for its ayiasma, a spring of holy water. There, she dedicated his life to God. From that moment forward, faith was not abstract for John but lived daily through service, generosity, and care for others.
With the support of his uncle, Harry Solomon, John attended the American Academy in Cyprus until age fourteen. Soon after, he immigrated to the United States, where he enrolled in vocational school to study typesetting, believing it would provide stability as he built a new life.
In the 1950s, John joined the United States Army Reserve and rose to the rank of Sergeant before his honorable discharge in 1964. During his service, working in military kitchens and feeding fellow soldiers, he discovered a calling that would define his life. Cooking became his way of bringing people together and caring for those around him.
In 1959, during a visit to Cyprus, John met Maria Theocharis. They soon became engaged, and John returned to the United States to prepare for their future. The couple married on October 29, 1961, beginning a partnership that lasted more than six decades and was grounded in shared responsibility, commitment, and family.
John began his restaurant career under the guidance of his uncle at the Haddington Restaurant. In 1966, alongside his close friend Anastasios “Tassos” Bekiaris, he opened the Arrow Restaurant. John ran the Arrow from its founding to its closing, creating a place that supported employees, welcomed patrons, and anchored his extended family. After Tassos’s passing, John’s brothers joined him as partners.
In 2019, Cosmos Philly interviewed John about the Arrow Restaurant and his journey as a restaurateur, documenting his work ethic, memories, and role in shaping a neighborhood institution. The interview, “Solomon’s Gold Mine: The Arrow of Upper Darby,” stands as a recorded reflection of his life’s work and his connection to the community.
Service remained central to his life. He cooked for St. Luke’s Greek Affair for nearly five decades and was deeply involved in fundraising connected to church festivals. Beyond the kitchen, John served St. Luke Greek Orthodox Church as both president and vice president and held leadership roles as president of the Cyprus Brotherhood and AHEPA. His steady leadership and commitment left a lasting impact on the church and the broader community.
That same year, John Solomon reflected on his decades of service in a recorded Stewardship Moment for St. Luke Greek Orthodox Church. In the video, he speaks candidly about his faith, his early survival as a child, his 47 years cooking for the Greek Affair, and his belief that volunteerism is as essential to a community as financial support. The recording stands as a rare opportunity to hear John in his own words, sharing the values that guided his life.
John was a man of deep faith, strong convictions, and quiet generosity. He loved both of his homelands, America and Cyprus, believing firmly in coexistence and shared belonging. A natural storyteller, he enjoyed recounting memories of earlier years, especially with nieces, nephews, and members of the Cypriot community.
He credited his long life to daily walks with the family dogs and was attentive to the health of others, often encouraging preventive care and prostate cancer awareness. An avid gardener, he took pride in his flowers and vegetables, which he regularly shared with family and neighbors.
John is survived by his wife, Maria; his daughters, Joanne Solomon and Christine Knopf, and her husband Bill Knopf; and the family dogs, Rex and Teddy. He is also survived by his brother, Demos; his sisters, Dorothy Apostolides and her husband Chris, and Maroulla Tofi and her husband Chrystodoulos; and his godchildren Christos Bekiaris, Elaine Christie, Yiannoula Neoptolemou, and Maria Solomon. He was preceded in death by his parents, Chrystalla and Ioannis, and by his siblings Kyriakou Hadjiyerou, Myroulla Skordi, and Christaki Solomou.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, January 31, 2026, at St. Luke Greek Orthodox Church, 35 N. Malin Road, Broomall, Pennsylvania. Visitation will take place from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m., followed by the funeral service at 11:00 a.m. Interment will follow at Edgewood Memorial Park in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to St. Luke Greek Orthodox Church or to a place of worship aligned with one’s beliefs.
At the family’s request, there will be no driving procession from the church to the cemetery. Attendees are asked to drive separately and meet inside the cemetery’s front gate.
May his memory be eternal. John Solomon’s life endures in the family he loved, the community he served, and the many people he fed.
Editor’s note: This article was updated to include a video recorded in 2019 in which John Solomon reflects on his decades of service, faith, and volunteerism at St. Luke Greek Orthodox Church.