Simon had the perfect mix of being both wise and humorous. When I first got out of college, he was my very first mentor and honestly I didn't know what to expect. At first, I thought he was almost too relaxed! He taught me however that this balance was something that I needed to keep my sanity.
I enjoyed the moments I had sitting with him for 3 years as a cubicle mate. I used to hear stories about his grand-kids (Curly, Sam, and Brian), he loved you guys and would speak very fondly of you! He would always pull through on the toughest projects despite his relaxed demeanor. I learned that he tries not to worry people and that being relaxed is one of the ways he lets everyone know not to worry too much. I know that behind the scenes he put in a lot of work and dedication, sometimes I would catch him working in the oddest hours of the day (after hours until 9 PM or on the weekends), still tackling bugs.
His mental resilience and humor helped me through the times where I would get stuck in my own head. Even though he was under pressure and had a heavy workload of his own, he would always know the best way to calm you down. His life lessons of just remembering what's important and encouragement that he provided me during the times that I doubted myself helped push me along in career. I don't know where I would be without him.
To my dearest mentor, you will be missed.