Joseph V. Simone, MD

In 1921, Joe’s father Pete Simone immigrated from Bari as a teenager to work in gypsum mines before becoming a cab driver in Chicago. Pete’s barber asked him to pick up his family who was joining him in Chicago from Limina, Sicily. Pete fell in love with the daughter, Josephine Casablanca, and after they were married, they welcomed their first child “Joey” on September 19, 1935. Growing up in an extended Italian family in the Our Lady of the Angels Catholic parish in Chicago is a significant part of Joe’s heritage that forever shaped his identity. He credits his Pop with his foundational values, “My father was curious, open-minded, and he liked to try new things, an example that proved instrumental for me in my life and career. Most importantly, he was a kind and gentle man who genuinely liked people in all their diversity.” His “Ma,” arriving at age 17 from the mountains of rural Sicily, brought her trademark strong will and fierce independence that were only matched by her love. His parents “settled on the west side of Chicago and worked hard to raise four children (Joe, Rosie, Baby Jimmie, and Carole) and make a loving and happy household.”

On May 28, 1960, Joe married the love of his life Patricia Ann Sheahan. A nurse from an Irish-Catholic family, Pat’s no-nonsense approach to life helped create a partnership of equals, where love and respect guided them through parenting three daughters, bringing out the best in each other, and growing together throughout six decades of marriage.

Joe received his medical degree from the Stritch School of Medicine at Loyola University in Chicago in 1960. He completed his training in Chicago with a residency in medicine at Presbyterian-St. Luke's Hospital and a fellowship in pediatric hematology-oncology at the University of Illinois. In 1967, he moved with his young family to Memphis to practice pediatric oncology at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis. He spent most of his medical career at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis. In his years there, he was engaged in clinical research efforts to improve therapy for children with cancer and played a leadership role in the development of curative treatments for childhood leukemia and lymphoma. In 1983, he was named director of St. Jude, at which time he turned his efforts to the administrative leadership of research and the hospital.

From 1992 to 1996, Joe served as the physician in chief of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City where he developed several programs aimed at developing a cancer disease management system and a regional clinical cancer network.

Dr. Simone served as medical director and chairman of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network and as a member of the board of Scientific Advisors of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) from 1996 to 2002. He was a member of the National Cancer Policy Board of The Institute of Medicine since 1997 and served as chairman until 2005. He served on the external advisory Committees of 12 NCI-designated cancer centers. He was past chairman of both the Cancer Clinical Investigators Review and the Cancer Center Review Committee of the National Cancer Institute. He was also a former president of the Association of American Cancer Institutes and former vice chairman of the Pediatric Oncology Group.

Until retiring, Joe was president of Simone Consulting. He had been clinical director emeritus of the Huntsman Cancer Institute and the professor emeritus of the Huntsman Cancer Institute and the professor emeritus of pediatrics and medicine at the University of Utah School of Medicine.

Among his Awards and honors, Dr. Simone was elected to the Association of American Physicians. The American Association for Cancer Research awarded him the Richard and Hinda Rosenthal Foundation Award and the American Society of Clinical Oncology awarded him the Distinguished Service Award for Scientific Excellence in 2002 and the Public Service Award in 2006.

His impact on the field of medicine is best reflected in the words of his patients, colleagues, and friends. The family is grateful for their remarkable tributes, two of which are included here https://blogs.stjude.org/progress/joseph-v-simone-st-jude/ and http://bit.ly/ASCOremembersDrJVSimone. To say he deeply admired and cherished his friends and colleagues is a profound understatement.

Above all, Joe Simone loved his wife and credited her with raising Pattie, Julie, and Margaret. A poem he wrote about her notes “her goodness and abundance of love.” He marveled at her intuition, wisdom, and practicality. Even when they disagreed, they were intentionally kind and loving as they calmly talked things through. He called her “his lighthouse,” who kept him headed in the right direction. Joe playfully teased his honey about her hoards of quilting fabric, and she always chuckled, putting him in his place with a good-natured quip. This would make him laugh and sparkle his hazel eyes at her. Whenever passing through the room, Joe would ask, “How’s my sweetie?” and give her a tender kiss.

Pattie was born in 1961. In addition to medicine and leadership, Joe and his first-born shared a love of pragmatism, constellations, travel, and the Italian language. He imbued Julie with his love of poetry, always encouraging the teacher in the family to write, as he grew in his fondness for her sense of fun. Smitten with her cuteness, Joe celebrated Margaret’s arrival in the family as well as her agreeable nature and easygoing companionship over the years. His daughters have always known how proud he was not only of their achievements but of the women, wives, and mothers they are. When they were young girls, he would read them questionable bedtime stories like “The Open Window” from H.H. Munro, take them to movies like Citizen Kane, teach them to play chess, and convince them he made up O. Henry’s Gift of the Magi. He delighted in making sourdough pancakes from his starter on Sundays, introduced them to the music of The Beatles, and encouraged them to read banned books and think for themselves. When the girls were in college, he would send a little cash in an envelope with a sticky note signed only, “Love, Dad.” They could always count on him to tell the truth in a clear and gentle way. Joe raised his girls to believe they could put up for themselves and do whatever they wanted in life. He and Pat trusted their daughters with the world and in it and encouraged them to make it a better place for everyone.

Tessa, Joe’s favorite (okay, only) granddaughter, brought boundless joy to her Gramps with her signature love of life. “This is the living!” she would exclaim from an early age, and Joe would join her for a game of bocce ball or an effervescent chat. You would think that as a pediatrician married to a nurse, he and Pat could keep a little girl free from harm. Guess again. Tessa made her first trip to the ER one night in Salt Lake City when her consumption of Swiss Cake Rolls went startlingly unmonitored by her grandparents and resulted in an uncomfortable back up situation. Among other fine qualities, Tate’s patience and technology savvy rescued Gramps when there were just too many TV remotes or his printer would not work. Joe reflected in his Maxims, referring to the Cormac McCarthy play The Stonemason, “Integrity in one’s work and a passion for doing the right thing and doing things right are an inseparable part of what we love and value, of what brings happiness. Doing the work we love is a privilege and a blessing.” Joe saw this characteristic in Tate who, whether operating the pizza oven or employing power tools to create oversized gingerbread houses, always approaches tasks with engineering, integrity, and passion. Joe would engage Rob in long talks about healthcare and life while watching him and Tate prepare delicious family meals. Middle grandchild Matthew’s interest in public health is directly influenced by his Granpa (as well as his Aunt Pattie Cake and Uncle Rob). He says, “Granpa Joe can explain complicated things in a way everyone can understand without making anyone feel stupid.” He also thinks it’s funny that Granpa told him once how he saw a dead cat when he was little and thought he might be a doctor “since it didn’t gross me out.” Joe followed Matthew and Stephen’s mountain bike competitions with glee. Spending time with Margaret, Jeff, and their boys in Florida and Georgia were special times for Joe. Luke and Peter could depend upon Papa to have a box of donuts (toasted coconut for Luke and chocolate frosted with sprinkles for Peter) ready at the breakfast table, take them to church, and even float down a river on innertubes with them. The boys would stay with Nana and Papa while going to summer camp. The four of them would stroll to Dunwoody Park and sample food truck fare for dinner. When the boys collected sticks on walks, Papa always let them bring them into the house. Joe often joked that his grandchildren were his reward for enduring his daughters’ teenage years, and he got such a kick out of watching them grow.

A particular highlight of Joe’s life includes 24 years of annual vacations with his family. He took great pleasure in conversations with his beloved sons-in-law Rob, Stephen, and Jeff, especially over early morning coffee. The vacation routine included going to lunch with Pat, taking naps, and reading. His favorite time was gathering us all around the table each evening for a glass of wine, good food, and lots of stories and laughter before he headed to bed around 7:40 PM. His more memorable trips were to Italy, where visits with family members and friends there were filled with a special generosity of love, food, and spirit.

Carole Vasbinder, Joe’s youngest sister, faithfully called her brother, especially in his final years. On each call, Joe would light up, recalling old memories with belly laughs and bantering about her dog, whom she named Josie after their mom. Along with Carole, Joe and Pat’s entire family has shown such love and support.

Joe chronicled his life in journals, books, and poetry. As of 2007, he had written in his journals for 45 years, starting in 1962. At that time, there were 30 handwritten volumes. He wrote almost 250 articles for Oncology Times. His office walls were crowded with photographs of his heroes, especially those who worked for human rights and dignity. Joe loved crossword puzzles, the Cubs, old war movies, hardware stores with wooden floors, classical music, homegrown tomatoes, the long hikes and runs of his younger years, the dignity and nobility of a job well done, short homilies, and a good cup of coffee. A self-described curmudgeon, he did not like long plane rides, lingering after a meal, kerfuffles of any variety, late-night dance parties, scorched coffee, or kale.

Joe is survived by his wife Pat Simone, sister Carole Vasbinder, daughters Pattie Simone (Rob Schreiner), Julie Simone (Stephen Carr), and Margaret Simone (Jeff Maynard), and grandchildren Tessa and Tate Schreiner, Matthew Carr, and Luke and Peter Maynard. He is also survived by an extended family, including all those who miss their Uncle Joe.

The family is grateful for the outpouring of love and support of family and friends, near and far whose words have provided comfort and healing. Gratitude also goes to all those who provided expert care and abiding compassion the past few years, including Henry, Jonathan, Janie, Dr. Black, Dr. Gower, and the staff of Somerby Senior Living.

A virtual memorial service will be livestreamed from H.M. Patterson and Son Oglethorpe Hill Chapel on Sunday, February 7, 2021 at 11:00am Est. Instead of flowers, memorials can be made to Drake House (www.thedrakehouse.org), St. Vincent De Paul (www.svdpgeorgia.org), or an organization of your choice.

For My Daughter

DAVID IGNATOW

When I die choose a star

and name it after me

that you may know

I have not abandoned

or forgotten you.

You were such a star to me,

following you through birth

and childhood, my hand

in your hand.

When I die

choose a star and name it

after me so that I may shine

down on you, until you join

me in darkness and silence

together.