Dr. Peter Foster Salomon
Dr. Peter Foster Salomon of Tucson, Arizona, died at Peppi's House Hospice on Monday, July 26, 2021, due to complications of metastatic breast cancer. He was 83.
Peter was born July 14, 1938, in New York City. He graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy, Harvard College (where he was a member of the Class of 1960 and Winthrop House and from which he received his A.B. cum laude in Philosophy), Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons (M.D., 1964), completing his residency in Pathology at St. Lukes Hospital in NYC. He and his young family moved to Tucson in 1972 after a two-year stint at Fort Polk Army base in Louisiana. At the time, moving to Tucson struck New York friends and family as crazy; however, it didn't take long for many of them to start visiting regularly, especially in the winter. He was the head of pathology at El Dorado Hospital in Tucson until his retirement.
Peter was always an avid athlete and fan. In his younger years, he competed in local Tucson tennis tournaments and was quite a force, winning many doubles titles. (Peter is reputed to be the best tennis player amongst his Harvard Class of 1960 classmates.) When his knees said “no” to tennis, he became an avid hiker, and when he could no longer hike, he became an avid and accomplished birder, traveling far and wide with his ever-present binoculars to build his "life list" of birds. After an early morning of birding, the Waffle House was a favorite place for lunch. Peter also LOVED to fish and was an exceptionally skilled fly fisherman with a particular affinity for Wyoming's North Platte River and the rivers and streams of Arizona's White Mountains. He was smart and witty, and enjoyed limericks, New York Times crossword puzzles, backgammon, Trivial Pursuit, and time with his many friends and family.
Philanthropy was a big part of Peter’s life. He cared deeply about Tucson and supported multiple local charities, primarily in science, the arts and humanities, and underserved communities.
Peter will be greatly missed by his wife of 31 years, Patricia Carr Morgan; daughters, Liza Byrne and Wendy Salomon from his first marriage and stepdaughter, Lisa Morgan and her husband, Kylo Ginsberg. Additional survivors include sister, Susan Neiman and her husband, Phill Neiman; two nieces and two step-grandchildren, Jessie and Tobias Ginsberg. He was preceded in death by his parents, William R. Salomon and Virginia Foster Salomon and his stepson, Todd Morgan.
A Memorial Service will be held, the date and location to be announced. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to The Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona and the Tucson Museum of Art.
Version published originally in the Arizona Daily Star on Aug. 22, 2021, has been slightly edited.