Maureen Simon, Huntington Woods First-Grade Teacher, Dies at 61

Funeral services are 1 p.m. today for Maureen Simon, a Royal Oak resident and teacher at Burton Elementary School in Huntington Woods who died Friday of natural causes, according to the school.

The families of Simon's first-grade class were contacted by telephone, school officials said, and other Burton families were alerted via an email Saturday evening.

According to Ira Kaufman Funeral Home in Southfield, interment will be at Machpelah Cemetery in Ferndale.

Simon's family will be gathering through Tuesday evening at the residence of Rosalyn Winer, 26591 Summerdale Dr., Southfield, for friends to call. 

Religious services will be conducted at 7 p.m. today, Monday and Tuesday evenings.

"Please know that grief counselors will be at school for the children on Tuesday, and a letter with more information will be sent home on that day," Principal Beth Krehbiel and Dean of Students Beth Meacham said in an email to Burton families.

According to the Ira Kaufam website, survivors include daughter Stephani Simon, mother Rosalyn and sister Denise Rosenthal. She was also the aunt of Jeffrey Rosenthal, Randy Rosenthal, Kaylie Simon and Jamie Simon and the great-aunt of Dakota Rosenthal. She is also survived by companion Robert Tessler.

Simon had been a classroom teacher for 30 years, teaching first grade at Burton for the last 25 years, according to her page on the Burton website.

"I find teaching  first grade to be a very rewarding and gratifying experience," she says on her web page. "The children have a love for learning and bring their enthusiasm to school everyday. In return, I also look forward to teaching them with enthusiasm. Everyday brings new rewards for all of us!!"

Simon was proud of her daugther, Stephani, who practices medicine in Hartford, CT.  She was also a dog lover with two dogs of her own and enjoyed gardening and reading in the summer.

Memorial donations can be made to:

National Audubon Society

225 Varick St.
New York, NY 10014
212-979-3000
www.audubon.org

or 

National Wildlife Federation
11100 Wildlife Center Dr.
Reston, VA 20190
800-822-9919
www.nwf.org

or any animal rescue