Dr. Emmanuel Solo

Dr. Emmanuel Solo passed away on October 18, 2022. A memorial service was held at Kyles A.M.E. Zion Church (907 15th St. Des Moines, IA) on Saturday, November 12, 2022 at 12:00pm. 

The Reverend Dr. Emmanuel Tomax Solo, Sr., was born in Monrovia, Liberia West Africa on July 3, 1960 to Colonel Peter T. Solo, Sr, and Ms. Mary K. Koon. He was a faithful and loving servant of God. He was also a caring father, grandfather, brother, nephew, uncle, cousin, and friend to everyone he met.

Emmanuel graduated in 1980 from the Booker Washington Institute, a vocational high school in Kakata, Liberia. After graduation, he worked for Air Liberia in the Sales Department.

Due to the Civil War in Liberia, he fled to Freetown, Sierra Leone with his brother, Lee R. Boye and his late maternal grandmother, Mrs. Cecelia Koon in 1990. While living in Freetown as a refugee, he attended Bible School and ministered to other refugees. Surprisingly to him one day, the pastor of the church he attended asked him to preach to the congregation on a Sunday morning. After the sermon, it became apparent to him that he wanted to go into the preaching ministry and to follow his maternal grand-father, the Rev. Samuel T. Koon's footsteps.

In 1991, he migrated to the United States and resided on Staten Island, New York. He got married to Maude Jones in 1995 and later obtained his undergraduate and graduate degrees. He was ordained by the New Jersey Conference and served as Associate Pastor of Shiloh AME Zion Church, Staten Island. Later he pastored Faith Chapel AME Zion Church in the New Jersey Conference.

Emmanuel and his wife relocated to Atlanta, Georgia in 2001 after residing on Staten Island for many years. Their marriage was dissolved in 2015. He served as an Associate Pastor at Spring Hill AME Zion Church, Monroe, Georgia. He pastored Smith Memorial AME Zion Church in Georgia. In 2017, he graduated with a Doctor of Ministry Degree, D. Min., in Church Ministry.

In 2018, Dr. Solo relocated to Des Moines, Iowa to be closer to family members. And it was in 2022 that he was awarded Doctor of Philosophy, Ph.D. in Missions, Evangelism and Church Growth. He was employed at Candeo as an Employment Specialist until his demise. In Des Moines, he joined the Kyles AME Zion Church and the Missouri Annual Conference. At Kyles, he was the Associate Pastor who ministered as a Preacher, Teacher, Prayer Service Leader, Chairman of the Board of Christian Education, Worship Leader, Sunday School Superintendent, and Co-chairman of the Roof Project Committee and accompanied the pastor on visitations. He also loved to fish, exercise and play with the grandchildren.

The Rev. Dr. Emmanuel T. Solo was preceded in death by his parents, his maternal grandparents and his sister, Patricia Boye.

The cleric is survived by his son, Emmanuel Tomax Solo, Jr; granddaughter, Delecia E. Solo; siblings, Bobby W. Solo, Francis W. Boye, Jr., Rosario K. Boye Scott, Lee R. Boye (Olive), Nina Solo, Olivia Solo (Isaac), Peter T. Solo (Sarah), Patricia Solo, Vera Solo, Vivian Solo, Samuel Solo, Merlyn Solo, Edward Solo, Peterine Solo; aunts, Elizabeth Koon Doryen (Timothy), Vera Koon-Sirleaf (Dave), Deborah Koon Gray (Jonah); cousins, Charlene Williams Weah (James), Martha P. Koon, David M. Sirleaf, Jr., (Robyn), Delvin M. Sirleaf, Pauline Collins, and a host of other relatives, friends and his church family. He will be greatly missed.