(306) Brother Knight Dr. Mel Simon (1935-2025) Achieved the American Dream….. and Generously Gave Back to the Community

AMDG 

Dr. Mel Simon

      Family and friends celebrated the life of brother knight (4^th Degree) Dr. Mel Simon before saying good-bye to him as he joined his dear son, Paul in the beautiful mausoleum at the Ohio Valley Memory Gardens.

      Mel Simon grew up in the Philippine Islands during the Second World War and the Japanese occupation.  Born in 1935, little Mel was there when General Douglas MacArthur had to leave, but promised “I shall return”.  Little Mel was there when MacArthur did indeed return.  We study history; Mel lived it.

      He graduated from the University of Santo Tomas Medical School in the Philippines in 1959.  A classmate of his was Dr. Anthony Sola, the father of Tony, Mel’s godson, who is here with us.  Dr. Simon went through six years as a resident doctor in the Cook County Hospital in Chicago where he obtained his specialization in surgery and urology.  Resident doctors work very hard for little pay and long hours during their residency and deserve to be amply rewarded later.

      In 1966 Dr. Charles Holzer invited Mel to work as a doctor in the hospital he founded here in Gallia County.  Soon Mel excelled in his own practice and became a prominent doctor in our community.  He became prosperous and achieved the American dream.  Don’t tell me there’s no opportunity in our country.  Mel proved that one who is intelligent and resourceful, studies hard, and works hard can indeed achieve the American dream.  

       Immigrants have made this country great over the years.  They are willing to accept jobs nobody wants, work hard, take risks, and start new businesses that provide jobs for others.  Europe and Asia have given America their best human resources.  Accepting low wages provided big profits for corporations that invested in expansion and the economic takeoff of the United States in the 19^th Century.  Today legal immigrants from Latin America are doing very well.  The timid and the lazy don’t immigrate.

      Dr. Mel not only achieved the American dream; he gave back to the community on his own, through the Rotary Club and through the Knights of Columbus.  Two of our brother knights, Bruce Davison and Mike Dressel served as honor guards.  

      In collaboration with the Rotary Club, Dr. Simon organized some 35 medical missions to the Philippine Islands as “Operation We Care”.  He recruited many doctors and nurses to work with him.  Our own Jaga Sebastian, Pam Dovyak, and others from our parish were among them.  His wife Lydia was part of every one of these missions.  Upon his return Dr. Mel would share experiences with different community groups, including our own Knights of Columbus, of which he was a 4^th Degree member.

Paul Sebastian and Betty Horan are on the left and Dr. Mel Simon is on the right with Alina Colwell, the one thousandth patient served at the French 500 Free Clinic which coincided with its third anniversary.

      While working as a Catholic lay missionary in Peru for 14 years.  I noticed that the Maryknoll Fathers often had parish clinics with volunteer nuns to serve the medical needs of the poor.  Wondering whether that idea would work here, I shared the concept with Dr. Mel.  He took the ball and ran with it.  Thus we had the French 500 Free Clinic with volunteer doctors and nurses going for about four years until Obama Care ran us out of business.  Lydia was there for every session and so was Mel’s “baby sister”, Remy Simon.

Four nurse volunteers of the French 500 Free Clinic from left to right: Evangeline Gugacus, Debbie Beegle, Beverly Voss, and Lydia Simon, his wife of 66 years who was at his side during every project.

      Dr. Mel was instrumental in the restoration of the Ariel Opera House under the leadership of Lora Snow.  Paul, his son, served on the Board of Directors until his tragic death.  The Ohio Valley Symphony Orchestra had five performances every year and if they were in town, Mel and Lydia were sure to be there.  The Symphony Orchestra includes internationally known soloists and professional musicians from three states.  His daughter-in-law was a candidate for “Maestro For a Moment”.  Each dollar donated was one vote.  Mel stuffed the ballot box and Dr. Agnes Simon won in a landslide.

      Dr. Mel served on the Board of Trustees of the University of Rio Grande.   He was also a man of faith.  Mel and Lydia were right there, first row left side at the 10 o’clock Mass every Sunday dressed in their Sunday best.  Sometimes he served as lector.  He was generous with our parish, helping with improvements such as major renovations and a new Parish Hall.

      Mel Simon loved his adopted country and was a Colonel in the U.S. Air Force Medical Corps Reserves.  He was ready to serve on active duty if called.  Lydia was a major part of Mel’s success through 66 years of marriage.  She was his top assistant and financial secretary.  She kept the home going as well.  They worked together beautifully as a team.

      He had a zest for life.  As a young doctor, Mel Simon, took up motorcycling, downhill skiing, and boating.  He even had a passion for flying as an instrument-rated pilot of his own airplane.  However, Dr. Mel suffered a lot in his twilight years, but his daughter Dr. Maria Simon provided for the best care.  The care givers included Filipinos who gave Mel the opportunity to speak the language he learned as a child.  I hope that Mel offered his crosses, i.e., suffering to the Lord as a dynamic prayer for the Church, for his adopted country and for his loved ones.  That is a most effective prayer and a path to sanctity.

      Mel, left a legacy.  In 2010 the State of Ohio recognized his contributions by naming him to the Ohio Senior Citizens Hall of Fame.  Thank you for giving back so much to the community.  May we follow his example by serving the Church and the people of our community.  Good-bye to our friend and brother knight until we meet again in eternity.  Let’s make sure that we all make it to Heaven for that great reunion by being faithful to God and His people.  That’s what life is all about.

      At the internment at the Ohio Valley Memory Gardens, several people paid tribute to a life well lived.  They included Paul Sebastian representing the Knights of Columbus, Lora Snow Director of the Ariel Opera House, and Judge Margaret Evans representing the Rotary Club for which he served as a District Governor for a time.  Three of his grandsons, Joshua, Zachary, and Jacob gave beautiful tributes.  Our pastor, Fr. Thomas Hamm gave the final blessing.     

      Since his Funeral Mass was in Chicago, where his American adventure began, but is interred in Gallipolis, his home on the shore of the Ohio River for 59 years, the intention of the Knights of Columbus Fifth Sunday Mass on March 30 was for the repose of his soul.  Fr. Thomas Hamm, a knight himself, celebrated the Mass and Mel's godson Tony Sola was an altar server.  Much of Dr. Simon’s extended family sat in the first two rows on the left side and his parish family attended as well.  Brother knights served as honor guards, altar servers, lector, Eucharistic Minister, and ushers.  The Jose Reyes Family brought up the gifts at the Offertory.