Paolo Solferini's Obituary
Paolo Solferini, 85, of Memphis, TN, passed away January 19, 2026.
Paolo had come to Memphis, TN in 1976 to be with his older sister, Maria Grazia, who moved from Italy with her husband who had established his medical practice in Memphis.
By living with her, Paolo was able to study and learn English as a foreigner at U of M and eventually, he earned his mechanical engineering degree at Christian Brothers University.
Through the International Club, of which his sister was Vice President, Paolo also met his wife to be, Mary F. Crawford. They became friends and studied together: her last two years of dental school, and his two years at CBU, and began living together at that time.
Upon his graduation, Paolo used his degree wording with diverse paper manufacturers both in and about Memphis.
Mary started her own dental practice in the Poplar Plaza, moving Dr. Louise Blackwell and her long-time practice in with her, and later her partner, Dr. Valencia May, for 18 years, until her retirement.
Paolo and Mary married one beautiful day on the roof top of Memphis’s tallest high rise, overlooking the Mississippi River.
Paolo and Mary lived a beautiful life, traveling wherever and whenever they could. They invested in an apartment in Mazatlan, Italy, where they could stay whenever they wished for as long as could.
Besides long trips to Mexico, they returned 4-5 times, to Ecuador, to the West Coast of California, to New Mexico, visiting Mary’s older sister, Velma, and her husband, John Bauer. They also visited her younger sister, Linda, in Charleston and later where she lives now with her husband in Chapel Hill, NC.
They bought their home together in East Memphis; a beautiful, secluded neighborhood, and with 3 picture windows. Paolo, a previous 2nd degree architect in Italy, and his best friend, Bob Beem, renovated it together.
Both Paolo and Mary had previous unhappy marriages. Mary had no children, but Paolo is leaving a daughter, Elena, now 60, who works in Northern Italy.
Besides Elena and his sister, Maria Garzia, Paolo leaves his two nephews, her sons, John and Robert, both happily married with good careers. John has one child, Phoenix, Paolo’s only grandnephew.
March 1, 2025, began Paolo’s travail: 2 blood clots in his lower right leg, which were discovered in time to save his life with an amputation to the knee, performed by Dr. Winkler of Saint Francis Hospital.
Paolo was still actively learning how to use his prosthetic in outpatient PT at St. Francis, when a massive brain stroke, took his life. Paolo NEVER gave up! He kept going until his untimely death.
He was a member of Holy Rosary Church.
Memorial Park Funeral Home is entrusted with arrangements.
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