Posted on 06/15/2018
William E. Simons
Passed away on June 9, 2018 at the age of 90. Bill was a resident of the Knollwood military retirement home in Washington. A 1950 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, he served as an Air Force officer for 22 years, retiring in 1972 with the rank of colonel. He continued to do military research work for both the RAND and BDM corporations for many years thereafter. Amongst his various accomplishments, Bill earned a PHD in education, taught history at the Air Force Academy, and wrote three of the original Pentagon Papers, as a well as a book about education in the service academies. A lifelong Navy football fan, Bill is survived by his wife Joyce; his three children from a previous marriage, sons, Michael (wife, Michelle), Eric (wife, Jeanne), and daughter, Kendall; and stepson, Rob Goldstein (wife Maura). Bill is also survived by eight grandchildren. He will be interred with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery at a future date to be determined.
Published in The Washington Post on June 15, 2018