| Obituary |
Dusty Vineberg Solomon, a leading Canadian journalist at the Montreal Star and other publications, died on Saturday, September 23, 2023, in Montreal. She was ninety-six years old and died peacefully at the Donald Berman Jewish Eldercare Centre. Augusta Meyers Vineberg was born in Montreal on December 21, 1926, to Eva Friedman Vineberg and Herbert Vineberg and grew up on Belmont Avenue in Westmount. She studied at the Roslyn School and Westmount High School and earned her undergraduate degree in English at McGill University in 1948, where she was an editor at the McGill Spectator. In 1949, Dusty earned her master’s degree in journalism at the Columbia University School of Journalism in New York City, one of the few women in her class. Upon her return to Montreal, Dusty began her career at the Combined Jewish Appeal in their Press Office and, in 1955, she joined the Montreal Star as one of the first women journalists in the newsroom. Dusty became a leading features writer at The Star and in 1957 became one of the first TV columnists in Canada. In 1966 and 1967, Dusty provided extensive coverage of Expo 67. During her twenty-two-year career at The Star, Dusty interviewed and became friends with leading figures of the day, including writer Robertson Davies, poet Irving Layton, scientist Lee Salk, architect Moshe Safdie and actor Geneviève Bujold among many. Dusty won many awards as a journalist and is remembered as one of the pioneering women in journalism in Canada. In addition to her long career at the Montreal Star, she was also an editor at DecorMag, and at Tundra Books with her friend May Cutler.
In 1974, Dusty married Dr. Samuel Solomon, a professor of Experimental Medicine and Biochemistry at McGill University, and they had a long and fulfilling marriage of thirty-four years until his death in 2008. They particularly loved their time together in Way’s Mills in the Eastern townships where they gardened together, hosted friends and family and made many durable relationships.
Dusty is predeceased by her father, Herbert Vineberg, her mother, Eva Friedman Vineberg and her sister, Trina Berenson, both prodigious cooks, and Dusty was certainly their equal. Dusty is survived by her sons, Dr. David Solomon (Linda Sølvberg) and Jonathan Solomon (Melissa Johnson). Another son, Dr. Peter Solomon (Anne Gillespie), predeceased her. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Rachel, Juliet and Sam August; Jack and Michael; and Felix.
Funeral service from Paperman & Sons, 3888 Jean Talon St. W., on Friday, September 29 at 1:00 p.m. Burial at Congregation Shaar Hashomayim Cemetery, 1250 ch. de la Forêt. Reception following burial at the Ritz Carlton Hotel, 1228 Sherbrooke St. West, Montreal. Contributions in Dusty’s memory may be made to the McCord Museum Foundation, (514) 861-6701, ext. 1237, where the Vineberg family have been frequent contributors and donors. |
