SIMON, Harriet Maureen
September 16, 1925 - March 1, 2020
Harriet Maureen Simon, 94, passed away peacefully on Sunday, March 1, 2020. She was lucky enough to pass in her home of more than 60 years on Montana Avenue in West Los Angeles, California.
Harriet leaves her three boys, and their spouses, Steven & Esperanza, Craig & Joan and Daniel & Annie.
Harriet had many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was “Aunt Harriet” to so many nieces, nephews and extended family members.
Harriet was born to Orrie and Byrdie Glatstein on September 16, 1925 in Muscatine, Iowa; she grew up with five sisters and two brothers. [An additional brother died very young.] She worked in her parents’ furniture store, attended the University of Wisconsin, and went on to marry Bennett Gold of Baltimore, whom she met as a pen pal to those serving in WWII. Together they had Steven in 1947, but she was soon divorced. Harriet moved alone with baby Steven to California, following several older sisters and their spouses to the Golden State, and upon whom she relied for meals, love, advice, financial and other help.
Harriet later married Henry F. Simon, who adopted Steven, and they later had two more boys, Craig and Daniel, before divorcing in 1959.
Bucking the norm for the time, (she was a pioneer feminist), Harriet obtained her real estate broker’s license. She owned and operated Harriet Simon & Associates, a successful real estate company in Beverly Hills. Harriet bought and sold commercial property in Southern California, including hotels and shopping centers, an area of real estate almost exclusively dominated by men in the 1960s.
Harriet, as a single Mom and business owner, was somehow able to “do it all.” She taught her kids by example, gave to charity on a regular basis, and she lent her (rather loud) voice to causes helping those less fortunate. Harriet was an advocate of anti-discrimination in all forms. She made school lunches every day before running off to work, helped with the homework, and almost never missed a Little League game or PTA meeting. Harriet bank-rolled expensive schooling, summer camps, overseas trips, smart new clothing, and (later) cars and down payments for homes for each of her children.
Harriet loved the Dodgers and the Lakers, taking great pride in her private hotline to Walter Alston for any needed pitching change advice. The children learned that it was best not to ask for anything when the Dodgers lost a game, and getting what was wanted was much easier after a come-frombehind win.
Harriet loved ice cream, candy, chocolate and cookies (especially Van de Kamp Chocolate Chip). She paid for extensive dental repairs for herself and all her boys, passing on her sweet tooth and Type 2 diabetes. Harriet loved to watch TV with the boys, eating junk food and Jiffy Pop Popcorn.
Harriet relished Chinese food (think Ah Fong’s in Beverly Hills) and she could eat hamburgers at every meal. She loved the Shipshape burger at Ship’s, and the 19-cent hamburger at Scot’s on Pico, where she would feed the birds French fries. Later she would support daily either McDonald’s, Jackin-the-Box, or In-N-Out.
Harriet listened to opera, sang old songs while driving, and would twirl her hair while concentrating.
Harriet had a life-long love affair with Dr. Herman Feifel, a genius, confirmed bachelor, psychologist and USC Professor. Their relationship was explosive, and at last count they had broken up and made up 613 times. Herman instilled in Harriet and her boys a further appreciation of all things Jewish and intellectual. Herman’s sister (and husband) Thelma & Ted Post, and their entire extended family, became very important to Harriet.
Harriet never passed up giving money to a stranger in need, never shirked from an argument where she felt there was a wrong, and never left unfinished the LA Times crossword puzzle. She loved words, penned poems, and never was without her sparkling blue eyes and clever wit.
As Alzheimer’s took over, in the last decade, Harriet was cared for lovingly by sisters Leticia and Rosie, along with Rosie’s husband Jose. The children, Jose Angel and Brianna, virtually grew up with Harriet as a grandmother figure. Their entire extended family all befriended and took care of Harriet as their own, loved her and adopted her. Fortunately for all, Harriet was able to live out her last years in her own home, but with the benefit of an extra family full of love and grace.
Harriet will be remembered for her tough-as-nails outside, heartof-gold inside dominating spirit, her unflinching love and devotion to her family, and her trust in G-d.
May her name be a blessing, Maisha Chaya bas Bracha. Rest in peace. Baruch Dayan Enet.
Memorial services Tuesday, March 3, 3pm at Mount Sinai Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills.