CURRENT SERVICES

Visitations



Services



Cemetery


Robert L. Simon


Post a Message of Sympathy | View Messages of Sympathy | Printer Friendly


Robert L. Simon died peacefully at home on May 31, 2018, after a courageous 17-month battle with pancreatic cancer.  A private graveside service was held on June 3, 2018.  A memorial service and celebration of his life will take place at Hamilton College in the fall of 2018.
Bob had three great loves throughout his life:  family, sports (golf and basketball specifically), and philosophy.
Bob was born on May 12, 1941, in Brooklyn, NY, the son of the late Jacob (Jack) and Frances Simon.  He spent his childhood years in Lawrence, NY, on Long Island.  He graduated from Lawrence High School in 1959 and then went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from Lafayette College in 1963 and a Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Pennsylvania in 1969.
Bob met his future wife Joy Weinfeld on a blind date in July 1965, which was at a NY Mets game, and they married on August 27, 1967.  Bob and Joy moved to Clinton, NY, in the summer of 1968, when he was hired as an Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Hamilton College.  Over the course of his nearly 50-year teaching career, Bob was named to the Sidney Wertimer Professorship, the William R. Kenan Professorship, and the Marjorie and Robert W. McEwen Professorship; he retired as the Walcott-Bartlett Professor of Philosophy.  He won prestigious fellowships from the American Council of Learned Societies, the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences, the National Humanities Center, the Rockefeller Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
An expert on ethics and social values in sports, Bob also taught courses at Hamilton on political, social, medical, and legal philosophy.  His teaching impacted the lives of literally thousands of students.  Bob embodied the spirit of community that exemplifies Hamilton not only through his tireless commitment to students, but also through his modesty, humor, and devotion to family, friends, and colleagues.  Equally effective in the classroom or on the links, Bob was known within the Hamilton family as a beloved teacher, respected coach, tenacious competitor, compassionate mentor, and loyal friend and was beloved by students, respected by his colleagues, and admired by alumni.  He was the recipient of numerous awards at Hamilton, both for his teaching and his scholarship.  The Student Assembly presented him with the Sidney J. Wertimer Award in 2005 and the Alumni Association presented him with the Distinguished Service Award in 2010.
From 1986 to 2000, Bob was the successful coach of the Hamilton men’s golf team, during which time his team frequently was nationally and regionally ranked and which also competed in the 1998 NCAA III National Championship.  He also served many years as a rules official for the New York State Golf Association.  As a scholar-coach, Bob espoused that participation in sports enhances intellectual life.  He lived up to this credo throughout his career.  Two of his books, Fair Play, which is in its fourth edition, and The Ethics of Sport: What Everyone Needs to Know, focus on the philosophy of sport.  Through radio and television interviews, and several op-ed articles in nationally syndicated newspapers, Bob raised or responded to important public issues such as gender equity, comparable worth, moral judgment, and the use of performance-enhancing drugs in sports.  For this and other intellectual work, he received the Philosophic Society for the Study of Sport Distinguished Scholar Award in 2004, was named one of the 100 Most Influential Sports Educators by the Institute of International Sport in 2007, was appointed an advisory and editorial board member of the NCAA Scholarly Colloquium on College Sports in 2008, was past President of the Philosophic Society for the Study of Sport, was inducted into the Kirkland Sports Hall of Fame in 2016, and was honored in the Journal of Philosophy of Sport in Spring 2016 with an entire issue devoted to his work.  The editorial board agreed that “this honor would not become a regular feature of the journal, but rather would be reserved for rare occasions and very special people – people like Bob Simon!”
In October 2017, Hamilton College President David Wippman announced that a new golf practice facility at Hamilton would be named in Bob’s honor, and the 2018 Bell Ringer Award, Hamilton’s highest alumni honor, will be presented in his memory in June 2018.
Bob and Joy celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary last August.  Bob was devoted to Joy and enjoyed traveling, golfing, and attending numerous Hamilton College and Clinton High School sporting events with her.  He was especially passionate about Hamilton’s men’s and women’s basketball teams, celebrated their many successes with them, and attended almost every home game and most away games.  He loved spending time with his two sons, Marc and Bruce, instilling in them a lifelong love of both sports and learning.  He also spent countless hours with his six grandchildren, telling many stories, making them laugh and being silly, while giving them advice and guidance as they got older.  He was a long-time supporter of the Kirkland Town Library, A Better Chance Program, and the Clinton Central School Foundation.
Bob is survived by his caring wife Joy, his loving sons Bruce (Kuniko) and Marc (Audrey), his devoted brother David (Barbara), his adored nieces and nephew Matthew (Jana), Rebecca (fiance Marc), and Michelle, his cherished grandchildren Kayla, Jake, Chika, Zak, Maya, and Travis, his sister-in law Diane Weinfeld and her son Scott.  He was predeceased by his brother-in-law Ronald Weinfeld.
The family would like to thank the dedicated and compassionate caregivers who helped to comfort and care for Bob in his final months--Hospice (especially Lisa and Irene), CareGivers (especially Sue and Eileen), and home care aides (especially Ruthanna and Heather)--along with long-time friends, neighbors, and the entire Clinton and Hamilton communities.
In lieu of flowers or other gifts, contributions may be made to support the new golf practice facility being named in Bob’s honor at Hamilton.  Checks should be made payable to the “Trustees of Hamilton College,” reference “Golf Center,” and be mailed to:
Hamilton College Advancement Office
Attention: Mark Monty
198 College Hill Road
Clinton, NY 13323
 
Credit card or other electronic donations can be made by contacting Mark Monty directly at 315-859-4651 or mmonty@hamilton.edu.
 

Message of Sympathy
Post a Message of Sympathy