John Simons

John Simons PhD John Simons, Professor Emeritus in the College of Arts Sciences at Florida State University, died at his home on Thursday, Jan. 28, 2010. He was a professor of German in the Department of Modern languages for 29 years. Prior to that he taught at the Berlitz School in Paris, at Texas Southern and at the University of Iowa. John was born Oct. 5, 1935, in Lone Oak, Texas, near Dallas. After graduating from high school he studied in Germany at the University of Goettingen. He returned to the United States in 1957, to attend the University of Texas where he completed the course work for an M.A. degree. He wrote his thesis at the Biblioteque Nationale in Paris. This was followed by a year in Munich. In 1966 he received a PhD from Rice University. He joined the FSU faculty in 1970 and, along with his teaching and publishing, he adapted and directed several German plays performed annually by students in the FSU Modern language Department. His publications include an internationally recognized book on the life and works of Friedrich Schiller as well as numerous scholarly articles and monographs. He was active in several professional organizations and was a past president of the American Association of Teachers of German, Florida Chapter. In 1977, he joined an oceanographic expedition to Antarctica participating as a humanist. In 1987, he was awarded a Fulbright Grant to study and teach in Germany. He served as president of his neighborhood association from 1972-85. From 1973-78 he served on the Leon County Democratic Executive Committee. He was preceded in death by Ursula Simons, his wife of 37 years. Memorial contributions may be made to the Ursula and John Endowment for German at the FSU Foundation 2010 Levy Avc., Building B, Suite 300, Tallahassee FL 32310. A mcmorial service is being planned and will be announced later.