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Media Credit: Anthony Souffle History professor John Simon poses for a portrait at the McLafferty Annex in Jan. 2007. Simon was the executive director of the Ulysses S. Grant Association and worked to edit The Papers of Ulysses S. Grant, which have been published by Southern Illinois University Press.

John Y. Simon spent most of his life at SIUC.

Now after his death, Simon's contributions to the university, its students and the academic world will live on, his colleagues say.

Simon, 75, died Tuesday morning after complications from multiple health problems. He was a history professor and executive director of the Ulysses S. Grant Association.

"John Simon was a giant of a man," said history professor Jonathan Bean, who had known Simon since 1995. "He was one of the great public intellectuals SIU had, and by that I mean he was popular with students on campus and audiences worldwide."

Simon spent the past 44 years at the university and edited "The Papers of Ulysses S. Grant," the 31st and final volume of which is nearing completion. He has written more than a hundred articles, essays and book chapters; written, co-written or edited nine books; and received numerous awards, including the lifetime achievement award from The Lincoln Forum, the Award of Merit from the Illinois State Historical Society, and the $20,000 Lincoln Prize from the Gilder Lehrman Foundation.

His contributions to the field are widely known and appreciated, said graduate assistant Sam Wheeler.

"You go to a Civil War conference now anywhere across the country, they ask you who you're working with and you say John Simon - people always smile," said Wheeler, a doctoral candidate from Springfield studying history.

Wheeler said he came to the university in 2003 specifically to work with Simon, whose career he had admired, and the two grew close during the past five years.

As Simon's teaching assistant, Wheeler often sat with him on the quad after class. Simon, who had a great sense of humor, loved to talk to students during these times, Wheeler said.

"He loved the rhythm of talking to young people all day," Wheeler said. "You know, he wasn't just talking about the Civil War. People were asking him what he thought about Paris Hilton."

Wheeler said he has five pages to write before the completion of his doctoral dissertation on Abraham Lincoln's poetry, and he had been excited to show the finished product to Simon.

In fact, Wheeler's dissertation was one of the last topics the two discussed.

"It's weird, when you replay things in your head - at the time you don't think they're very meaningful, but you sort of walk away and they become really meaningful," Wheeler said. "He told me a lot of stuff -that he's sort of proud of me, you know? ... It was a cool thing to hear."

Stephen Hansen, associate provost for research and dean of the graduate school at SIUE, said he knew Simon personally for 10 years and professionally for 30 years.

Hansen, who team-taught a course with Simon, remembered his friend as someone who made a mighty contribution to the field and really cared about his students.

Simon made a presentation with Hansen on June 30, the day before he entered the hospital.

But though he was obviously sick, Simon taught with his trademark enthusiasm, Hansen said.

"It was clear that John was ill, but he nevertheless gave one of his typically brilliant and funny lectures," Hansen remembered. "It was just magnificent and masterful that he was doing this while he was so ill."

Aaron Lisec, associate editor for the Ulysses S. Grant Association, said he was Simon's student first and later his colleague.

He remembered Simon as charming, engaging, funny and a Cubs fan.

Even after Lisec was no longer his student, Simon was still teaching.

"He taught me a lot about questioning everything, never taking anything for granted, which is a good skill to have if you're a historian," Lisec said. "He never left any stone unturned."

Many said Simon's contributions to his field were huge.

His impact on Wheeler is an example of the legacy he left to students.

Wheeler plans to graduate in December and pursue a career in teaching, just like his mentor.

He said he hopes to emulate Simon's longevity, energy and passion for teaching.

"That enthusiasm - that never left him," Wheeler said. "Fifty years from now, if I could still maintain that enthusiasm for my subject, I'd think I had it made, you know?"

Allison Petty can be reached at 536-3311 ext. 254 or allison.petty@siude.com.

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