I'll miss you, Simon.

I'll miss you, Simon.

The last time I spoke and joked with Simon was at the opening of Arjan's budo dojo in Haarlem - I had no idea that he was ill, he was in his usual good spirits, so I was shocked today when I got a facebook link from Bartosz about the celebration. I'm sorry I won't be able to attend, but I wish to extend my condolences to Simon's family and friends.

I first met Simon in 1992 when I joined Erik Louw's Aiki-Dojo in the Govert Flinckstraat. I always took the Monday classes with Simon, because his style was so different from Erik's - relaxed and almost lazily he would flick someone around the dojo - and his style greatly influenced my own aikido.

I remember that I had been practicing aikido for just a few years, I think I was only 4th kyu, when Simon called up out of the blue to fill in for him at his beginners class in Haarlem. After I agreed and put down the phone I became terrified that I would do something stupid and get one of his pupils hurt, so I focused on tenchi-nage to avoid people throwing other people against the walls of the tiny dojo.

Back then, Simon still had Creatrix in Amsterdam and I would drop by the workshop regularly for a coffee and a chat. When he stopped teaching in Amsterdam and he gave up his workshop in Amsterdam, I saw him less and less, but whenever we met he was always his congenial self.

I will remember you always, Simon, thanks for believing in me.

Martyn van Halm

Pre-Conflict Control

Amsterdam

TO SIMON WITH LOVE

for all you have been for us and with us
Judith Pertz

Aikido family

Simon, for me the one word that springs most to mind when thinking about him is joy. Joy in aikido, joy in live.

That great smile of his on the mat, was what attracted me to aikido and what made me stay. He is the one person I know that failed an aikido exam for smiling too much.

But aikido for Simon was much more than smiling and laughing, it was also a way of live. He truly felt that aikido could save the world, and if not that, it could save the people close to him, his aikido family. He enjoyed this family very much and he liked it thoroughly when we would bring our kids with us to practice. A disturbance they might have been, never a nuisance to him.

 

Luckily we got to spend time with him as much on the mat as off the mat. We have spend countless nights eating, drinking, playing games (cosmics!) and talking. Yes, drinking and talking, most important.

 

No, most important is family, and especially his own. We wish Liduina, Tasmin, Maya and Galen all the strength they need in this difficult time.

 

Simon we miss you terribly. Thanks for teaching us all we know about aikido, and thanks for teaching us much we know about live. In the words of Karel (our three year old and namesake (Charles)):  "Ik vind het helemaal niet leuk dat Simon niet meer leeft."  What more can one say...

 

love, Johanneke, Quirijn, Karel en Toon

Mixed

It's a surreal moment – learning that your best mate has left our world to go enjoy his next adventure. A massive mix of emotions. Sadness of course, as I will miss the teachings, laughs, crazy times (and man were some of them crazy – remember blamange roads in Belgium Simon???!) and of course the friendship of one of life's true gentle men.

Love and thoughts of course must go out to Liduina, Tasmin, Maya and Galen; all amazing people that didn't waver, and made Simon as comfortable as humanly possible (in fact more so) and kept us all up to date in an honourable manner as well as dealing with their own grief – all in all a bloody amazing group of people. 

Many people have written far more than I ever can. I miss you mate, but you know that. Enjoy what you are doing now, those of us still here will look after those close to you that need it, so don't worry on that front. Go do your stuff and, the universe permitting, I'll see you soon…

Oh Yes ! - a Blatant rip off – but some words that, in my mind sum up the brilliant, mad, naughty, fearsome, sensitive, force of nature that IS Simon Charles Deering:

A person who
In any situation 

Perceives the truth with resignation
Would never need to draw his sword in haste

Enjoy my friend – whoever, wherever you are teaching.

Doug

TO SIMON FROM JON SORENSEN

Simon,

We were fellow model makers..."wigetters" on ALIEN. We sat next to each other for the first few weeks as worked together on the spaceship NOSTROMO.

You were loved. I will really miss you.

Until we see each other again...no speeches...

Save me the seat next to you where you are now...perhaps there will be the big model we can work on together. I'll show up again carrying another suitcase.

Love you very much Brother.

Jon Sorensen

Dear Simon............

Well what a shock it was to hear of your passing Simon, and like all these shocks that are presented to us in life, a sudden flood of memories of days gone by come raining down.
I knew you in Beaconsfiled in 1971 when you used to come barging into my flat while I was asleep on the bay window ledge one summers day to drag me out into the warm summer sun - I declined of course!!
I knew you when we worked together building that model of St. Paul's Cathedral in a pokey industrial unit filled with fibre glass resin fumes, we joked and pulled each others legs as we rolled another cigarette in those heavy fumes, young, inexperienced and very rude we were.
We worked together on 'Alien' and had laughs at life with it's crazy rational thinking.
We went our own separate ways in the mid 80s and lost touch while building our empires and finding new friends.
Thankfully we managed to find each others friendship again over these last few years and I am forever grateful that we did. It was good to recapture the silliness we had lost and find that all that really matters is that we use our time on this Earth to good effect while we are able.

Be good old mate

Dennis

Smiling Sensei

Dear Simon,

In our hearts you will always be remembered for the smile you wore during classes, and the silly but amazing techniques you showed us. Rest in peace, you will be missed. 

Marrie, Emma, Hanneke, Maarten, Jaro & Chiel


In addition, some of us wanted to express some more additional words in your memory. 

Emma's personal message:

Ik heb even bij Simon mogen trainen, veel te kort, sinds september. Zijn Aikido had ik wel eerder gezien, bij stages's, begreep nooit zo goed wat hij nou eigenlijk deed! het zag er zo makkelijk uit, tot je het zelf ging proberen en er niets van kon maken! 
Wat ik nooit zal vergeten, is hoe Marrie en ik zijn verwelkomd in zijn dojo. Het gevoel dat je zo welkom bent is bijzonder geworden, en iets wat ik zal herinneren aan Simon.
Veel sterkte gewenst voor zijn familie en dojo.

Jaro's personal message:

The camper rolled on the field, in there was a man. A small beard, but a big smile on his face. Giru-san introduced me, so I said the first thing that came to my mind. "You want a beer?" The smile grew a bit wider, and so we sat there. My first night at the Yuwakai Summerschool, back in 2007. And my first introduction to you, the broad smile and a few minutes later, an even broader smile and a beer. 

On the tatami, you were the one with the devious tricks, placing your hand a bit different so you can take over, when Tori was attempting a technique. Top speed, a whole lot of words, and always a broad smile. Two three times, and the: "Let's try". Especially with your boken (wooden sword). Quickly, looking around, see us goofing, shake your head. One more show and off again. Putting ikkyo, nikkyo, sankyo etc. in one move. My complete disregard for technique made me hate that exercise. But every training I went which was lead by you, we did it at least once! It was only after I decided to take a different look at techniques, that I started to value the exercise.

In my Aikido journey I met you, you taught me. And the greatest lesson you taught me was the nonchalance, the charm and the smile. You seemed to enjoy every moment of life to the fullest. Although maybe a cliche to say, but you really did it. By doing so you made sure that everybody felt welcome in your dojo, and in your presence.

So Simon, where ever you are: keep smiling.