Daily Egyptian
Fall '03 Edition
Former Senator leaves mark on SIU
Jackie Keane
Daily Egyptian
Gone is the bow-tie wearing man who put partisanship aside and worked to better humanity.
Paul Simon, former U.S. senator and director of the Public Policy Institute at SIUC, died from extensive bowel ischemia at 1 p.m. Tuesday at the Prairie Heart Institute at St. John's Hospital in Springfield.
Simon had been at the hospital for heart valve and single bypass surgery, which was completed Monday.
Manjunath Pendakur, dean of the College of Mass Communication and Media Arts, said Simon's death is one of the saddest things to happen to the University.
'There's a long history of him being committed to trying to make life better for huge numbers of people," Pendakur said.
Simon, 75, was surrounded by his daughter, Sheila Simon; son, Martin Simon; wife, Patti Simon and her daughter Jennie Derge.
Beginning with a career in newspapers, in 1954 Simon went on to immerse himself in politics. After serving 14 years in the state legislature and one term as the only lieutenant governor with a governor of another political party, he took two years off to launch the Public Affairs Reporting Program at then Sangamon State University in Springfield.
With barely a break from politics, Simon wanted more. He ran for U.S. representative and landed a career in national politics that lasted 22 years, until 1997.
Though Simon retired from politics in 1997, he announced he would continue to spread his wisdom to younger generations and work as an advocate, but from a different seat. He founded the Public Policy Institute, a bipartisan think tank, and taught classes in political science, history and journalism at the University.
John Jackson, an emeritus professor at the Public Policy Institute who met Simon more than 30 years ago when Simon was running for lieutenant governor, said although he considered him to be a close friend, there were hundreds and thousands of people worldwide who also considered him a friend.
"He was always genuine and down to earth and honest and had extraordinarily high ethical standards," Jackson said. "I think he set the tone in the Senate in almost a unique way for his honesty and his ethical standards. I think he was looked on in many respects as a kind of conscience of the Senate in the courageous stances he would take and the honesty he would use in defending his policies and also in dealing with people."
Simon dealt with legislation regarding foreign affairs, education, work opportunities, television violence and balancing the budget.
Following his service to the world, the nation and the state of Illinois, Simon announced in 1994 he would retire when his term ended in 1997 and return to Makanda, a town with a population of 402.
According to Simon's biography, the institute's goals were to "find new ways of solving some very old problems."
Pendakur said he personally will miss the notes of encouragement that Simon would send him to let him know the things the college was doing were positively affecting the students.
"Passed will be a void on campus that will never be filled," said Chancellor Walter Wendler. "He was very dedicated to improving this place."
According to Jackson, the public policy institute will continue to move forward in its operations.
Funeral service arrangements have not yet been made, according to Jackson. Simon is survived by his daughter Sheila, son Martin, four grandchildren, Reilly Marie, Corey Jeanne, Brennan and Nicholas, his wife Patti and her two children, Jennie and Bill.
In addition to his family, Simon, who considered himself bi-partisan, spent his life working to make friends across all borders. And it is his friends in places such as Cuba, Rwanda, Croatia and here in Southern Illinois who will also not forget him and the good he carried with him.
"A lot of people in Southern Illinois felt very close to Paul Simon and they felt like he was a close personal friend," Jackson said. "I think Southern Illinois will feel that they have lost a family member in many respects."
SIU president James Walker shared similar sentiments.
"The nation has lost a great American today with the passing of Sen. Paul Simon. Paul was a man of intense compassion and vision who had a great love for Southern Illinois University," he said in a statement released Tuesday.
"SIU and all of Illinois have lost a dear friend and our hearts go out to his family. Paul's commitment to education and his many accomplishments will be long remembered."
Jackie Keane can be reached at: jkeane@dailyegyptian.com
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