I miss the coversations Si and I had over many years. I miss his friendliness and humor. Love you, Si!  

I want to extend my deepest sorrow for the loss of your father. Simon wrote for my poetry journal “Poets’ Espresso Review”  for many years. His writing was profound and mysterious as it led us to wonder about life and what comes later.  I will deeply miss his correspondence with me and our readers will miss the poetry he shared with us.
I became concerned when Simon did not respond to my email. I realized just today that he had passed away.  
Again, I send my condolences and deep sorrow.
Patricia Ann Mayorga
Editor-in-Chief
Poets’ Espresso Review

I knew Si beginning in 1985 when I asked him to submit poems to a magazine I was editing at the time. We stayed in touch by phone and email--and one visit in person--for all of these years. We met in 1997 in Manhattan one evening, and I will never forget his friendliness and big smile. He was no diva, no prima donna; he was sane, smart, and down to earth. I was honored to know him and be friends with him. He was/is a great poet--and a great man. He loved his family. He was a great spirit. I miss him, I miss him. Tim Houghton

To the loved ones of Si; our condolences at his passing.  We only had occasion to be in his company twice.  Both times we felt that he had so much to offer. He was a wonderful man who truly loved his family. Evidence of such can be seen in my daughter-in-law, Katherine and her sister.  Si will be remembered fondly by all who knew him. 

Sincerely,
Elaine and Matt Ameigh

The older he got, the more I noticed Simon's constant good humor, his positive energy together with his quiet humility. As the father of my mom's gallerist (Dorian Bergen of ACA), and after having lost Jeff's equally charming father Sidney many years ago, every year an increasingly large and diverse group of friends would gather to celebrate Simon's and my mother's birthday (Faith Ringgold turned 90 a year and a half ago).  

By this process we all became friends. I, at least, began to feel knitted into his circle, and he helped me to learn the ways of aging, which has always fascinated me. With funerals for the very elderly, more and more it is the grandchildren who preside, if they are willing and able, as in this case with Vaughn and Casey. Again like the birthday parties, there will probably be at least two more memorials--one in East Hampton and one at the Poetry House, which I hope will be streamed as well because this one was fascinating. What a wonderful rabbi.  

Si's birthday party, which stands out for me the most, is the one he had at the Poets House, before COVID, in the midst of a gigantic snowstorm.  I couldn't believe we were actually there,  at the tip of Manhattan near the river and the Statue of Liberty, the city apparently sleeping under a blanket of snow.  On the shelves there  I discovered the collected poems of Lucille Clifton, which I took home with me. That evening was pure magic, like that short story The Dead by James Joyce.  

The older Si and mom became, the more birthday parties were held for them but I hadn't given it much thought until that evening when I can remember speaking with Si, complimenting him on the beauty of this particular event. Yes he said, they are having another one tomorrow, he said as he looked thoughtfully at that evening's birthday cake, which he didn't touch. His eyes lit up, as if he had just thought of it--do you want to come, he asked?  

I will greatly miss him. 

Uncle Shimmy was the favorite sibling of his oldest sister Fay, who was also my grandma. She talked about him fondly and said she missed him over the years. We did not meet him until 2003 and found him to be a warm, compassionate and sweet man who was always upbeat and had something kind to say. He regularly asked  how  our son Benjamin was doing over the years and enjoyed sharing stories about the family. We will miss him dearly and hope that his memory will be a blessing to all who knew him. 

There are some relatives who enter your life and they don't even realize the impact that they have made.  This is true of my uncle Si.  He has been an inspiration to me my entire life.  Although we didn't get to spend all that much time together, he remained a source of strength and inspiration.  He will be missed. . . . . 

Dorian and Jeffrey,

It was an honor and a joy to spend time with Simon. He radiated warmth and wit. 98 great years of life. How wonderful.



OBITUARY

Simon Perchik

December 23, 1923 – June 14, 2022

Riverside Memorial Chapel

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