Livio D. De Simone
Livio D. De Simone
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Livio De Simone Obituary
Naples, FL
Livio D. (Desi) De Simone, 80, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, January 17, 2017 at his home in Naples, FL in the company of his family. Desi is survived by his wife of 60 years, Lise DeSimone, his three sisters, four children, twelve grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.
Born in Montreal, Canada to immigrant parents Giuseppe and Maria De Simone, Desi attended college at McGill University where he met his wife Lise. He earned a bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering at McGill and starred as a middle linebacker on the football team. Upon graduation in 1957 he was drafted by the franchise in Edmonton and subsequently traded to the London Lords. This fortuitous trade allowed him to begin his career with 3M as a process engineer in London, Ontario and play football after work so he could afford a mortgage on a new home with his wife.
In 1961, Desi was transferred to 3M's headquarters in St. Paul, Minnesota. It was the first of many of his management positions in the company. Desi's career took him overseas to Australia and Brazil before returning to the headquarters in 1975. He became the CEO of 3M in 1991, and retired in 2001.
After retirement, Desi became a prolific painter and one of his paintings would often become a Christmas card. He had a passion for cooking and would recreate recipes from his travels, often tinkering and improving upon them.
Desi's remains will be cremated; there are no plans currently for a service in his honor. In lieu of flowers or gifts, please consider making a donation to charity. Some of Desi's favorites were Junior Achievement, Habitat for Humanity, and Dana Farber Cancer Institute.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
March 26, 2017
Goodbye, good friend!!I shall miss you, as one of the best supporters of 3M Portugal.
Fernando Feliciano (ex-Managing Director-3M Portugal)
Sylvia Ita Day
February 5, 2017
Dear Lise and family,
I was so very sorry to hear of Desi's passing.
My memories of Desi are far-reaching. First, he was my best friend's dad in middle school. I remember him like any other dad, driving us to and from birthday parties, except he was special. For example, the DeSimones were the first people I knew to have movies in their home. I have fond memories of watching Airplane! at Cyndy's birthday party on a Beta tape and thinking how visionary Desi was to have such a "high-tech" entertainment system in his home. I also remember the way he looked at little toddler Gina, their first grandchild, with so much love in his eyes. And the way Cyndy made him laugh, the way she made me laugh too.
Then there was the Brazilian connection. Desi and Lise were also my parents' friends from 3M. Having a Brazilian mother, and a father who worked for 3M Brazil, I remember many evenings in our house where my mom would cook feijoada - Desi would offer his two cents on the cooking, being a great cook himself. And there was always laughter so much laughter. Sometimes they'd laugh over English jokes, sometimes Portuguese. Desi wasn't the CEO of 3M yet, but everyone knew he was destined for great things.
Then there was Desi the boss. I worked at 3M for five years - first as a temp, then later as a permanent employee - and distinctly remember the Halloween Blizzard of 1991 which was also Desi's first day on the job. I loved him as our CEO already since he made the decision to close the company that day, even though he made it in when no one else did. I greatly admired him as a business leader of one of the best companies in the world.
On weekends, while I was temping at 3M, I played piano at the White Bear Yacht Club during cocktail hour. Every so often I'd see Desi and Lise arrive. Being a pianist can be a lonely, thankless job but Desi and Lise would always come over to the piano to greet me, and Desi would request Brazilian music with that familiar twinkle in his eye.
I'm proud to have known him and proud to have worked under his leadership. My heart goes out to his family.
Sylvia (Ita) Day
Zurich, Switzerland
January 31, 2017
TO THE DESIMONE FAMILY;
MY sincere sympathy to all of you. DESI--A great guy--Friend--fellow worker--softball teammate--hockey teammate--Boss & Mentor--One 0f a kind!!!
A great leader !! I was proud to have known you.
Sincerely Al Blumer
Thx for all of your magic Desi.
Amazing Hondo
January 29, 2017
I knew Desi and Lise via numerous 3M events for which I was engaged to speak and entertain, such as the 3M Championship and Quality Awards Dinners. Desi not only treated me with a welcoming graciousness and appreciation, but he willingly participated as my "magical assistant" on stage, hamming it up for the audience as I seemingly burned his $100 Bill in what I call my "risk trick". For me, Desi will always represent the adage that states "people will remember you less for what you did, and more for how you made them feel." RIP sir. My condolences to Lise and family.
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Tom Ferron
January 24, 2017
Very sorry to have heard of Desi passing. Had many memories of living in Brasil and the Saturday golf outings. He impressed me at an early age.
Suzanne Jones
January 24, 2017
As a close colleague and friend to Lidia, his sister, I would like to extend heart felt condolences to the family. Ordinary people somehow manage to make extraordinary contributions to our lives...he was one of them.
Patrick and Dianne Cummins
January 24, 2017
To the extended De Simone family. Although we did not have many occasions to to meet Livio in person we nonetheless felt we knew him well. Grandpa and Grandpa De Simone and his sisters all spoke of him with such pride and kept us apprised of his remarkable career wherever he happened to be in the world. We also took vicarious pride in the success this former Montrealer achieved both professionally and as the head of h is family. Please accept Dianne and my most heartfelt condolences for your loss of a most wonderful husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend.
Linda and Dick hansen
January 23, 2017
Linda and I were saddened to learn of Desi's passing.He was a 3M gem and a fine person to know.
January 22, 2017
I think that Desi was a real employees CEO. He had a reputation for being very personable and I had first hand experience of that. I once attended an open format employees meeting that Desi hosted. General 3M protocal is that the most senior person in the meeting arrives right at, or slightly later than the scheduled starting time. That way they are the last person in the room and everyone is waiting for them to make an entrance. Not Desi. A coworker and I arrived early, wanting to get a spot in the back for an early exit should the meeting run long. Desi also arrived early. He came over, sat down and began a conversation with us. The first thing he said was What are you doing sitting here? Hoping to sneak out early? We laughed, he laughed and he continued to have a friendly conversation with us until he was called to the platform. We were just two people he had never met, but we were 3M employees and he respected that. There hasn't been a 3M CEO like him since and probably never will be.
January 22, 2017
It was such a sad moment for me to learn of Desi's passing. I have known and admired him since I first met him in 1961 here in St. Paul to his being CEO of 3M and into his retirement from 3M. In recent years Gene Baratto, Bob Howard and I had an annual August luncheon with Desi up until this past August when his failing health kept him Florida. Rest in Peace, Desi!!
My sincere condolences to his Family.
William A. Klein-3M Retiree
Bob Boettcher
January 22, 2017
Desi was the best CEO at 3M during my 32 year career there. He was pleasant, upbeat and outgoing, and an excellent leader.
James Harden
January 22, 2017
I became a good fried of Desi through our mutual friend, Gene Baratto. Desi and I set at the same table smoking cigars.These two gentleman were both. very fine people. Desi,we will sincerly miss you. The last time we visited was at th FL 3M reunion and laughed about the fact that we had both beat the cancer bullet. Jim Harden
Lidia De Simone
January 21, 2017
My big brother was brilliant, he was intuitive, he always knew what to do. Life will be very different without him at the helm. I love him and miss him dearly.
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