▁▁ ▁Sim ons ▁left ▁The ▁Post ▁for ▁a ▁position ▁as ▁Cur ator ▁at ▁The ▁Niem an ▁Foundation ▁for ▁Journal ism ▁at ▁Harvard ▁university ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 4 . ▁ ▁Sim ons ▁author ed ▁Jewish ▁Times : ▁Vo ices ▁of ▁the ▁American ▁Jewish ▁Exper ience , ▁( H ought on - M if fl in , ▁ 1 9 8 8 ), ▁and ▁Sim ons ' ▁List ▁Book ▁( 1 9 7 7 ). ▁He ▁edited ▁two ▁books ▁with ▁Joseph ▁A . ▁Cal if ano , ▁Jr ., ▁The ▁Media ▁and ▁the ▁Law ▁and ▁The ▁Media ▁and ▁Business , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁wrote ▁a ▁sp y ▁novel ▁with ▁Hay nes ▁Johnson ▁called ▁The ▁Land ing . ▁ ▁A ▁well - known ▁quot ation ▁attributed ▁to ▁Sim ons : ▁▁ ▁" Pe ople ▁who ▁are ▁fun ny ▁and ▁smart ▁and ▁return ▁phone ▁calls ▁get ▁much ▁better ▁press ▁than ▁people ▁who ▁are ▁just ▁fun ny ▁and ▁smart ." ▁ ▁He ▁stepped ▁down ▁from ▁the ▁Niem an ▁position ▁on ▁May ▁ 2 5 , ▁ 1 9 8 9 , ▁on ▁medical ▁leave , ▁and ▁succ um bed ▁to ▁pan cre atic ▁cancer ▁three ▁weeks ▁later , ▁aged ▁ 6 0 . ▁▁ ▁A ▁scholar ship ▁named ▁after ▁him ▁ass ists ▁minor ity ▁students ▁asp iring ▁in ▁journal ism ▁( see ). ▁ ▁References ▁▁▁ ▁Ep stein , ▁No el . ▁Howard ▁Sim ons , ▁Ex - Man aging ▁Editor ▁of ▁Post ▁and ▁Niem an ▁Cur ator , ▁Dies . ▁Washington