Family will receive friends Saturday December 20, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. until time of service at 11:00 a.m. at Rehobeth Temple, 1111 E Long St, Columbus, OH 43203.

Litisia Rose Smith Solomon

August 24, 1943 – December 13, 2025

Litisia Rose Smith Solomon, a devoted woman of God and the cherished matriarch of the Solomon family, passed away on December 13, 2025 after a long battle with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP). Throughout her life, she was guided by a profound personal faith, often writing, "Jesus is the best thing that ever happened to me!"

Early Life and Spiritual Foundation

Litisia was born on August 24, 1943, in Eckman, West Virginia, to Mary and William Smith. In 1957, her family relocated to Columbus, Ohio, where she attended East High School, graduating in 1961. Her lifelong commitment to her faith was solidified in February 1958, when she was baptized and filled with the Holy Ghost at Rehoboth Temple COOLJC under the leadership of Bishop H.J. Spencer.

Even as a teenager, Litisia was active in the church, serving as the local and state ABYPU and Sunday School Secretary in Columbus. She represented her congregation as a delegate at the COOLJC Youth Congress and National Conventions, beginning a lifetime of service to the church at a national level.

A Life of Love and Family

In 1962, Litisia met her future father-in-law, Bishop Frank Solomon, at a revival. A year later, in 1963, she met the love of her life, Wilbert Frank Solomon, in Atlanta, Georgia. They became engaged at the National Youth Congress in 1964 and were wed on July 3, 1965, by Bishop H.J. Spencer.

Their journey together took them across several states, including moves to Frankfort, Illinois, in 1974 and Springfield, Virginia, in 1978. Litisia was a devoted mother who took immense pride in her three children: Roderic, Natalie, and Jerold. Her family was her greatest joy, and she often spoke of the favor the Lord showed her through her growing family. After her husband Wilbert's passing in 2000, Litisia eventually moved to be closer to her "new babies," her grandchildren, whose births she celebrated with great excitement and "Grammy" pride. She moved again in 2008 from Virginia to Columbus, Ohio to help her daughter, Natalie, who had become the First Lady of Mount Calvary Holy Church, while raising three young sons and working.

Professional Career and Church Leadership

Litisia enjoyed a long and successful career with C&P Telephone Company and Bell Atlantic (now Verizon), where she worked until her retirement in 1996 as the Executive Assistant to Bruce Gordon, President of Marketing.

Her professional skills often merged with her spiritual calling. Her extensive service to the Church included:

• National Leadership: Serving as Corresponding Secretary for the National Sunday School during the administration of Deacon Albert (1960) and later during the administration of her husband, Wilbert.

• State Service: Serving as the corresponding secretary to the Virginia State Women’s Council.

• Local Ministry: Serving as local Women’s Council President at Redeemed COOLJC in Alexandria, VA, and later at Refuge Church of Christ in Atlanta, GA; teaching Sunday School at Redeemed Church and lifting her voice as a member of the Gospelaires choir at Refuge Church of Christ; serving as a Teller and Greeter at Christ Chapel (AOG) in Woodbridge, VA; and serving as the Mother of the Church at Mount Calvary Holy Church in Columbus, OH. She also worked and served in many other ways, too numerous to list here.

Survivors and Legacy

Litisia was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Wilbert Solomon; her parents, Mary and William Smith; her parents-in-law, Mother Mae and Apostle Frank Solomon, her sister Delores Penn (the late Elder Samuel Penn), and her brothers Carlos andDeacon William Oda Smith.

She is survived by her three children, Roderic Allan Solomon(Tahirih), Natalie Linnae Solomon Grayson (Bishop Michael), and Jerold Elias Solomon (Alison). She leaves behind a legacy of love for her ten grandchildren: Noah, Aaronn, Solomon, Elias, Micah, Eden, Levi, Jonah, Leiliana, and Maddox.

She is also survived by her sisters, Gwendolyn Watkins (James), Juanita Pannell (Deacon Melvin), Pearl Moore (Alvis), Sondrus McDaniel, Deborah Jenkins (Deacon William), and Karen Smith; her sister-in-law, Rose Smith (the late Deacon William Oda); and many nieces, nephews, cousins, godchildren, and special friends.

Litisia will be remembered as a woman who truly, in her own words, “loved serving the Lord and people.” Giving and serving were her spiritual gifts. She quietly gave of her time and resources to help many people and charities, often sending hundreds of dollars every month to ministries she wanted to help, while also giving her tithes and offerings to her local church. Many people could stand up and testify to her kindness and generosity in their lives. To know Litisia was to love her.

In her last year, she often spoke about how grateful she was for her life and her family and all that the Lord had done for her. She spent her last week singing with her sisters, sharing special moments with her children, and being surrounded by family love, prayer, laughter, tears, and memories. Three days before she passed, she told her daughter that she was happy. To the very end, Litisia’s testimony remained: "To God be the glory for the things He has done! For He has done great things!”