In Remembrance – Denis Lavern Simone ’65

In Remembrance:

Denis Lavern Simone ’65 of Hawthorne, New Jersey. Simone was born on May 2, 1942. His home of record is Hawthorne, New Jersey. He graduated from Hawthorne High School in 1960. His future goals included graduating from medical school. He was a member of the Bible Club.

Denis L. Simone

Simone graduated in 1965 from Tusculum College and shortly after enlisted in the U.S. Navy. During Navy recruit training he was awarded the “American Spirit Honor Medal,” which was given to only one recruit in 4,000 who displays outstanding qualities of leadership, honor, initiative and high example of comrades-in-arms.

While in Navy Corpsman school Simone married Elizabeth “Betty” Opderbeck of Hawthorne whom he had met in high school. Simone was sent to Navy Corpsman Pharmacy School in San Diego, California, and remained there with his wife after completion of school. On Jan. 26, 1968 their son, Anthony, was born.

Prior to being sent to Vietnam in July of 1968, Simone completed Marine Corps Field Medical School at Camp Pendleton in California. In Vietnam, Simone was stationed at Chu Lai Airbase with a Marine Air Wing. On Oct. 23, 1968, Simone was killed when the rifle of a Marine accidentally discharged. Simone was buried with full military honors at Fair Lawn Cemetery in Fair Lawn on Oct. 31, 1968.

Simone is remembered at the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial and Vietnam Era Museum and Educational Center located in Holmdel, New Jersey.