Shirley Simeon Obituary

Simeon, Shirley R. Of Chicago, IL, an accomplished writer and popular Gold Coast bon vivant, passed away in her sleep at the age of 89. Her Homegoing Memorial will be Saturday, April 6, 2013 at the chapel at The Clare at Water Tower, 55 E. Pearson Street, Chicago, IL at 11:00 AM, reception to follow. Her ashes will be cast in the San Francisco Bay on her 90th birthday cruise, Sunday, October 13, 2013. RSVP Mark Simeon 919-599-4896 or [email protected] Born October 13, 1923, Shirley Rita Green was the eldest of three born to Della and Earl Green. Shirley earned scholarships that enabled her to attend Fisk, Loyola, the University of Chicago, and The Union for Experimenting Colleges and Universities. At Fisk, Shirley pledged Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. In 1945, Shirley married Leo Simeon, whose family included professional jazz musicians, business entrepreneurs, a Tuskegee Airman, and an educator who became the namesake of Simeon Career Academy. Shirley and Leo had two sons. The eldest, Quentin, a computer engineer in Naperville, predeceased her in death. Mark is a practicing trial lawyer based in Durham, North Carolina. Shirley R. Simeon, Ph.D took pride in her upbringing on the South Side and never let her station in life be defined or restrained by the socio-economic mores of the day. San Francisco, where her free spirit blossomed, was her home during the '60s and '70s. She returned to Chicago's Near North Side in the '80s. Dr. Simeon commanded respect professionally and fashioned careers combining education, social work, writing, and psychologist consulting. Employers included the Chicago Public Schools, the Chicago Committee on Urban Opportunity, the Berkeley Unified School District, Barat College, the Illinois Department of Corrections, and the office of Secretary of State of Illinois. Some of Shirley's writings have been published. Restless after she took residence at The Clare at Water Tower, she came out of retirement to co-teach at Harold Washington Community College. Shirley was the life of the party and will be sorely missed. She loved the theatre, art, literature, music, contract bridge, and traveling with family, friends and her college pals' social club, the Silver Foxes. Shirley Rita Simeon is survived in death by her son, Mark (Fern) of Durham, NC; her granddaughter Rachel Simeon Lindsay (Quentin) of Chicago; grandson, Chuncie Simeon (Quentin) of Chicago; grandson, Steven Simeon (Quentin) of Naperville, IL; granddaughter, Allison Simeon (Mark) of Durham, NC; great grandson, Jayden Lindsay (Rachel); sister, Patricia Willard of Beaumont, TX; nephews, Michael (deceased) and David (Kim) Willard (Patricia) of Beaumont, TX; nephew, Lawrence Green (Earl, deceased) of Chicago; first cousins, Monica Brown and Cecelia Holland (Clarence) of Chicago; and Simeon in-laws in greater Los Angeles, Manhattan, Denver, Detroit, Luxembourg and France. Contributions in Shirley's memory may be donated to MOREHOUSE COLLEGE. Please designate "Class of '79 Endowed Scholarship Fund" online atmorehouse.edu/giving. Visit the photo galleries at facebook.com (search: shirley r simeon) and follow Twitter @shirleyrsimeon.