James Joseph "Doc" Soluri

07/10/2006

James Joseph "Doc" Soluri, 72, of Becket died Monday, July 10, at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. Born in Niagara Falls, N.Y., on Aug. 10, 1933, son of Joseph and Margaret Morasco Soluri, he earned a doctorate in musicology from the University of Michigan. Mr. Soluri joined the faculty of the music department at State University of New York at Oswego in 1960 and was chairman from 1970 to 1976. A resident of Becket for six years, he was active on the board of directors of the Becket Arts Center and the Miniature Theatre of Chester, now Chester Theatre Company. He served on the School Committee for the Central Berkshire Regional School District and provided musical direction for several Wahconah Regional High School theater productions. In Oswego, Mr. Soluri worked to nurture the arts and public education for 40 years. An active musical director, he produced and directed more than 80 musicals and operas, including productions at the Lakeside Dinner Theatre and the Oswego Opera Theatre, a company he founded in 1978. He created a student vocal group, Statesingers, and served on the New York state Council of the Arts. An original organizer of the city of Oswego's summertime Harborfest, he chaired the music and entertainment committee for many years. Mr. Soluri was a tennis player, reader, restaurant enthusiast and traveler. He and his wife, the former Sally Stevens, were married 48 years. Besides his wife, he leaves a daughter, Barbara Cokorinos of Maplewood, N.J.; two sons, Robert Soluri of Lincoln and John Soluri of Pittsburgh; a brother, Paul Soluri of Niagara Falls, N.Y., and four grandchildren. FUNERAL NOTICE -- Plans are being made for a memorial service in early August for James J. "Doc" Soluri, who died Monday, July 10, 2006. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to either of the following: Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, P.O. Box 750, New York, NY 10131-0304; or the Jim "Doc" Soluri Scholarship Fund at SUNY Oswego, c/o Development Office, 219 Sheldon Hall, Oswego, NY 13126. Arrangements are in care of DAIN-CULLINAN FUNERAL HOME, Oswego, N.Y. He also leaves a son-in-law, Philip Cokorinos; two daughters-in-law, DeAnna Mori and Amy Crosson, and his grandchildren, Jonathan, James, Lucia and Marielle.

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