All seven of his children went through MH schools
Published in the February 17 – March 1, 2016 issue of Morgan Hill Life
By Robert Airoldi
Photo by Robert Airoldi
Pete Solomon, 65, has spent the past 24 years working for the Morgan Hill Unified School District. Once he retires in December, he plans to travel, exploring the United States.
Pete Solomon has raised seven children, has 14 grandchildren with another on the way, and has worked for nearly five decades, the past 24 with the Morgan Hill Unified School District.
“It’s been an interesting run, but it’s time for someone else,” Solomon said of the past two-plus decades with the district that began as a bus driver. “One of the kids I used to drive to school is now a teacher at Live Oak High School.”
Now the 65-year-old maintenance foreman is looking forward to Dec. 11, 2016. That date, his 66th birthday, will also be the last day he works.
Twice divorced, he now has a new lady in his life who is also retiring and they plan to travel around the states, seeing some of the sites of this country.
“We’re going to make a list of things to do and places to see,” he said. “I want to check some names on the Vietnam Memorial, see the Black Hills, Niagara Falls and the Grand Canyon. I want to see the places I fought for before the man says it’s time to step aside.”
Drafted in 1969, Solomon reported for duty Feb. 14, 1970, did his basic training at Fort Ord, and served in Vietnam from 1970 to 1972.
Injured during the war, he spent Aug. 1971 to Feb. 1972 on a hospital ship recuperating. When he was discharged a few months later, he returned to his job at Lucky’s Supermarket where he worked until 1988.
That year he retired from Lucky’s and went to work for grocery wholesaler Trademark Sales driving a route from Carpenteria to Paso Robles. In 1991, he moved to South County and went to work for his brother renovating and remodeling homes. After a short time, he wanted something more solid. Upon hearing about a job as a bus driver, he applied and was hired.
Now as the maintenance foreman, he oversees a staff of nine who work at all Morgan Hill school sites and the district office repairing broken pipes, plugged sewer lines, electrical problem, broken windows, all sorts of issues that arise, including getting called out at night and on weekends.
All seven of his children went through the Morgan Hill school system, three of his grandchildren graduated from Live Oak High School and six more are attending schools in the district.
About working for the district, he said he enjoys the children and the people he works with, who are dedicated to providing the best for the students. He is dismayed by the recent controversy on the board, noting that the board is not working in the best interest of the students. “They are working for themselves and their agenda,” he said.
He’s lived in Morgan Hill since 1992 and will continue to do so after he retires.
“I’m not going anywhere,” he said. “My family all live here. Heck, they could see me come back and run for school board.”
He’s seen some changes in the 24 years here. “When I first moved here the sidewalks would roll up at 9 p.m. There used to be just two signals from my home to work, now there are six or seven. This town has just grown so fast, but I like the downtown area, the Taste of Morgan Hill and the Friday Night Music.”
He sees people all the time who remember him as their bus driver. He still keeps in contact with several families he’s known through the years. “There are some good stories, and some sad stories,” he said. “But that’s life.”
