Ramon Diaz Solis: April 19, 1927 - November 6, 2017; Emeritus Professor of Foreign
Languages and Literature, Appalachian State University
Ramon Diaz Solis passed peacefully from this world after a long, happy and intellectual
life. Ramon is survived by his two sons, Ramon-Conrad and Gerard; daughters-in-law
Cari and Jessica; and his grandchildren, Aidan, Ethan, Emma, Avery and Lauren. He is
also survived by a family of alleged Catalonian separatists; they are not named here for
their own protection, but he loved and admired them just the same.
He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 55 years, Maria Loles Solis (10/11/39-
08/10/13). She was everything to him and as much as he missed her everyday he
considered himself blessed to have shared a full life with her.
He was a faculty member at institutions on three continents before joining the faculty at
Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina in the summer of 1969. He was a
prolific writer, a recognized Cervantes scholar and a recipient of the Fray Luis de Leon
Prize for his translations of Hebrew poetry. He enjoyed teaching, especially his summer
program in Spain. His Foreign language students enjoyed his policy of factoring in good
character in exam grades (he saw the good in all) and his frequent tangents into art and
philosophy. He remained a productive faculty member at ASU until 2002 when he and
Loles retired to Florida to be close to their grandchildren.
He loved nature, especially trees. For many years he only bought live Christmas trees,
which he would plant after the holidays, often having to clear a patch in the snow and
dig a hole in the hard ground. Most of the trees grew and thrived and a few can still be
seen at the old Solis homestead in Boone.
He was the consummate poet and absent minded professor. As it turned out, the absent
minded professor description became a diagnosis rather than an endearing cliche, but
he did not lose his affinity for poetry, gentle demeanor or love of family. In the end he
passed peacefully in his own bed, grateful for the time he had. May we all be so lucky.
At his request, services will be limited to family. In lieu of flowers, donations may be
made to Suncoast Hospice.