RIP Chris Simmons - Harrisonburg, Va. SE

Holy cow. Didn't know Chris but definitely heard the name many a time up in these Michigan parts.

I just tell people go hug your family. You just never know when the hourglass runs out.

 

Damn. RIP to one of the best, most respected people in our business. The number of quality journalists that worked for him and moved on is legion, but more impressive is how he helped others in the business.
I've told this story a few times before, but it's worth retelling to show what kind of guy he was.

After graduating from college in May 1998, I applied to a bunch of papers all over the country, including Harrisonburg. It was on my route back home, so I called and asked -- I asked, Chris didn't call me -- if I could come in for an interview. Knowing what I know now about the process, it's a miracle he didn't tell me to get lost and burn my resumé for spite. Instead, for some reason, he said yes.
I had never met the man, didn't live anywhere near Virginia, had no ties to he or anyone at the Daily News-Record that he might have been doing a favor for. I sent my resumé in blind. And he said sure, come on in and talk.
I didn't get the job, nor did I deserve to. I wasn't ready to work there, and knowing the reputation he had within the business there were probably 200 far more qualified applicants whose resumés were sitting on his desk. However, he humored me and at least allowed me to get a feel for the job interview process. A couple of weeks later, after I got turned down, he took the time to respond to a couple of e-mails I sent him asking for tips on how to better myself.
The stuff I learned in that interview helped a lot as I went through the job hunting process, and helped me finally land another job about six weeks later. I never forgot that, and never will.
Neither will God knows how many other people. Over the years I've learned from reading this board that I wasn't the only one Chris Simmons helped like that. Dozens, probably hundreds, of other journalists have similar stories. Every time there was a job opening in Harrisonburg it was one of the most sought-after ones in the country, for good reason.

I spent, maybe, an hour with the man on a random late spring day 17 years ago and never saw him again. I know he wouldn't have remembered me if I'd walked into his newsroom in 2016. Hell, I probably wouldn't have recognized him. But, in a lot of ways, he was a role model for me. As I've gotten older and remained at the same paper my whole career, Chris stands out as a reminder that you don't need to be at a major metro to do good work, be respected in the business and have an influence on the next generation.
RIP to one of the industry's shining lights, and a person every journalist should aspire to be like.

 

Batman, Chris hired me about six months after your interview. He was either desperate or impressed with my love of food and cooking, something he enjoyed as well. I'm almost certain that shared interest is what helped get me the job.

I was never as good as some of those who preceded or followed me. Chris was relentless as a newspaper man. Even though I didn't have that bulldog mentality, I wish I had been more eager to improve, more eager to learn. Perhaps that's just the expected wistfulness one get upon reflection of a life no longer. I don't know. I learned a lot from Chris. I could've learned more.

Journalism lost a great man and mentor today. And I am sad.

 

My only interactions with Chris came via e-mail, but trust me when I tell you just how respected he was around the commonwealth. Tremendous loss. Great editor who just made everyone around him better. Rest in peace, Chris.

 

I knew Chris very little. I sat next to him in the JMU press box a couple dozen times maybe, talked to him on the phone once or twice perhaps. But I know very well plenty of people who worked for him, and they are absolutely crushed by this news. Devastated. They all consider him the reason they are where they are, be in Richmond, Knoxville, Detroit, DC, Dubai, out of the business, wherever. Just terrible news. RIP.

 

Does anyone know yet any details of his death? And age, family? Anything, other than that he died?

I mean, this really is a huge loss.

And we know nothing? Has his family requested that no information be given out?

 

Damn. Never heard of the guy, but why does it always seem like we lose the best ones way too early? Far too many of these threads on here over the years.
RIP, Mr. Simmons. And I hope someone can point his family to this thread so they will really know how widely respected he was.

 

DNRonline

 

Chris was an amazing editor and expected a lot and got a lot out of his writers. He became one of my greatest friends and mentors. I was often bummed to go to other papers and find no one (news or sports) come close to his abilities and expectations as an editor. He took no shorts cuts and made us all better writers and editors.

Glad I heeded the inkling to drive down to Hburg and visit him when I was back home for Christmas. He posted the following in August.


OK, DN-R Sports alumni since I've been editor (somewhat in chronological order, and I know I've forgotten somebody):

Skip Wood (VT) -- former Richmond Times-Dispatch, USA Today reporter, most recently WJLA in DC
Scott Blanchard (Missouri) -- former VT beat writer at Roanoke Times, now a news editor at York (Pa.) paper
David Driver (EMU) -- free-lancer in DC area
Tom Bergeron (U.VA., four-year intern/stringer) -- former sports editor of Newark Star Ledger, asst spts editor at KC Star, editor at Rivals.com, now editor of NJBIZ (business outlet)
Rob Washburn (JMU, super stringer/intern): asst commish of CAA
Bob Usselman (Drake) -- marketing in Minn-St.Paul
Mark Berman (Syracuse) -- VT beat writer at Roanoke Times
Mike Hodge (Hampden-Sydney) -- free-lancer in Florida
Garrett Johnston (JMU) -- lives in Atlanta area
Brian Costello (Penn St) -- NFL writer for New York Post
Jason McIntyre (JMU) -- founder/editor of thebiglead.com
Luke Vilelle (Missouri) -- librarian at Hollins U
Will Bottinick (Wisconsin): formerly at Entertainment Weekly, now marketing in NYC
Tom Stevens (UNC-Greensboro): sales in Baton Rouge
Andy Mendlowitz (Maryland) -- wrote book on Irish hurling
Sean Coughlin (Arizona) -- former Savanna sports guys, now PR in Savannah
Mike Basgier (JMU, super stringer/intern/temp full-timer): strength coach at JMU
Jeremy Cothran (George Mason) -- former MLB reporter for Newark Star Ledger, ex-assist SID at the U of Wash, now doing PR in Berlin
Marcus Helton (Western Maryland) -- editor of dmvElite.com
Joe Lemire (U.Va.) -- former SI, now free-lancer
Brent Johnson (Rutgers) -- political writer for nj.com and Star Ledger
Mike Rothstein (Syracuse) -- NFL reporter for espn.com
Aaron Gray (JMU) -- sports production specialist in Abu Dhabi
Dustin Dopirak (Penn State) -- Tennessee beat writer for Knoxville newspaper
Mike Barber (Rutgers) -- VT/UVA beat writer for Richmond Times-Dispatch
Tim Chapman (JMU, super stringer/intern): Laramie (Wyo) Boomerang sports editor
Doug Manners (Quinnipiac) -- marketing in Denver
Paul Montana (U.Va.) -- med school now
Mark Selig (Maryland) -- asst spts ed of Columbia Missourian
John Galle (JMU) -- spts copy editor at Roanoke Times
Matt Stoss (JMU) -- PR at George Washington University
Matt Jones (VT) -- current
Nick Sunderland (Wisconsin) -- current
Phil D'Abbraccio (Syracuse) -- about to be current