Barbara Solomon, who served as the Macon County General Hospital’s head nurse for 35 years was killed in a fire that destroyed her home Sunday.
 
Monday afternoon, a brick shell and charred beams smoking into the cold March air were all that remained of the home on Cave Hollow Road where she and her husband 83-year-old Robert Solomon lived for more than 30 years.

"It's not goodbye," said Tom Dawes, neighbor. "It's so long.”

Dawes lived across the street from the Solomons for more than 20 years.  He says his faith is seeing him through the loss of his very close friend.

“One of these days, if I live my life right, I can walk on better streets with him,” Dawes said.  “We can continue those conversations that we had down here in the quiet hours."

The Solomon family represented much more to the community than just friends and neighbors.  Barbara Solomon cared for patients for more than three decades at the county hospital.

"Barbara really was the mother of this place," said Dennis Wolford, hospital CEO.

Wolford said Solomon made the rounds as the hospital's head nurse for 35 years, even working through two knee replacements.

"You can't find anybody that cared more for this hospital, I think than Barbara Solomon,” Wolford said.

Solomon retired last fall to take care of her husband who suffered from Alzheimer’s and her sister Alice Crockarell, who also died in Sunday’s fire.

"She meant a whole lot to this hospital.  She made this hospital what it is," said Latise Jones, current director of nursing services.  “She has touched so many lives in his community.”

Funeral services for Robert and Barbara Solomon are scheduled for Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. at the Alexander Funeral Home in Lafayette.Respected Nurse Killed in Deadly Fire - Eric Alvarez