Dr Simon passed away

Parsippany, NJ, doctor to be

honored at Freehold Raceway
today Dr. Paul Simon died last Saturday

By ROB JENNINGS • STAFF WRITER • January 8, 2011
PARSIPPANY — It will be "Dr. Paul Simon Day" today

at Freehold Raceway, where a race will be run in
honor of the long-time Parsippany phusician who
practiced in the township for more than 60 years
and still made house calls.
Simon, who died last Saturday at age 88, was the
only doctor around when he opened his Lake
Hiawatha practice six decades ago, his son Marc
recalled.
Marc Simon, a surgeon at St. Clare's Hospital in
Denville, recalled riding as a child in the family car
as his father made house calls. His father
administered the polio vaccine when it was first
developed. He had scores of adult patients whom he
had delivered as babies.
"He took care of generations," he said of his father,
who died last Saturday - just two days after making
a final round of house calls.

Paul Simon once lived in Parsippany. He met his late
wife, Beatrice, while making a house call in Lake
Hiawatha, his son said.
He moved his family to Short Hills in the mid-1960s
but maintained his medical practice on North
Beverwyck Road. In his spare time, he visited his
horses - which for the past quarter-century were
kept at Gaitway Farms in Millstone Township,
friends said.
There, he dispensed medical advice and sometimes
treatment to fellow horse trainers at the farm.
"He was just an incredible individual - just very
well-liked," said Karen Fagliarone, director of racing
at Freehold Raceway. She helped organize today's
tribute.

On New Year's Eve, Simon was treating patients in
his office his longtime nurse Liz Wattley recalled.
"He said he felt so good he was planning a trip to
Florida," she said.
Two days later, though, Simon passed away.
Despite his age, Simon's death came as a surprise.
"He had office hours scheduled for this week," he
son said on Friday. "He was still practicing."
Word spread quickly through the close-knit Lake
Hiawatha neighborhood. Parsippany school board
member Michael Strumolo said he first met Simon as
a young child in the 1950s. Strumolo said he was
4years old when he was struck by a car and
"stitched up" by Simon.
Strumolo, who decades later would take his young
son to Simon for treatment, saw him Dec. 30.
"He was out doing house calls when his truck
overheated," said Strumolo, who owns a service
station.
The two met up for dinner that night, for what
turned out to be the final time, at the Spa Restaurant.
By Monday, Simon's friend at the Gaitway Farms
knew of the sad news.
Simon had not been told that Freehold Raceway was
planning a "man of the year" ceremony in his honor
this weekend.Upon consulting with his family, the
raceway decided to proceed with a race in his honor
today, starting at around 12:50 p.m. on what will be
called "Dr. Paul Simon Day."
Marc Simon said he will attend.


In Lake Hiawatha, he will always be remembered as
"Doc Simon." Those at the stable saw an additional
different side to him, one that they intend to honor.
"He'd sit in his little chair, in the barn, and take care
of horses," Fagliarone said.

She added that sometimes, he'd take a break - to see
a patient.




Dr. Paul Simon(Photo courtesy of Michael Strumolo)