HONESDALE — It was a frigid night in early January, and an icy wind was howling in off the Big Lake.
Inside the Wallenpaupack Area High School gym, however, the atmosphere was positively tropical as the Buckhorns battled North Pocono in a heated Lackawanna League boys basketball game.
When the halftime buzzer sounded, I decided to use the lull in the action to review my photos. When I’d finished, I looked up to see a familiar sight that instantly brought a smile to my face.
There, standing front and center before a group of students was Wallenpaupack Area Athletic Director Ann Marie Simons. She was talking a mile a minute, hands flailing in all directions, a mischievous grin on her face and a twinkle in her eye.
I could tell the moment the story was over because the kids all burst out laughing as she nodded and poked the air playfully with her finger for emphasis. Then she turned on her heel and came striding over toward me as the kids hooted and hollered.
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An uneasy feeling
Ann Marie and I have been friends since we were kids. She’s one of the best people I’ve ever known … smart, funny, honest, sincere and passionate about everything she does.
Ann Marie was born to teach and coach. It’s so much more than just a job to her. Mentoring kids is a vocation and she did it better than anyone I know.
Ann Marie plopped down next to me, and we started chatting. I hadn’t seen her for a while, so there was some catching up to do. At the top of that list were tales of our little ones. I’m getting ready to welcome my fifth grandchild into the world while Ann Marie was anticipating her second.
As the clock counted down to the start of the second half, she sighed and slowly stood up. It was then that I first noticed the dark circles under her eyes. Her face was a little bit pale as well and there was a weariness in her voice.
“Hey are you alright?” I asked.
“I’m fine,” she replied. “Just a little tired that’s all. Nothing to worry about. I’ll talk to you later.”
As she walked away, though, I had an uneasy feeling in my gut. Something wasn’t right. Of course, hindsight is 20-20 as they say and there’s no way I could have guessed at the darkness that lay ahead.
The next time I had an extended conversation with Ann Marie came three months later and the circumstances couldn’t have been more different. Instead of the happy chaos of a high school gymnasium, we were sitting side by side in a private room at Ellen Memorial Health Care Center.
The dark circles under her eyes were even darker. Her skin was paler and her once strong voice had become threadbare.
Of course it wasn’t fatigue. It was cancer.
A passion for teaching
Ann Marie was born in 1966, the daughter of Harold and Jean Gilhool.
She attended Catholic elementary school through the eighth grade, then moved on to Honesdale High as a member of the Class of 1984.
Ann Marie was deeply involved in sports and extracurricular activities. She played softball and basketball for four years in addition to being class secretary, vice president and president of the Student Council.
Maria Miller was a teammate in high school, then later a colleague at Paupack for many years. She worked closely with Ann Marie as head coach of the girls varsity basketball team.
“Ann Marie went above and beyond for everyone: coaches, teachers, assistants, and especially student-athletes,” Maria said. “The kids were her number one priority and she always had their best interest at heart. She truly cared about doing what was right for them.
“Ann Marie was not only a colleague, but a very special friend. We grew up together and I have such wonderful memories of her. She was an incredible mother, wife and grandmother. She was just a good person.”
After graduation, Ann Marie attended East Stroudsburg University where she earned her degree in education. She returned home and immediately embarked on a teaching career at Wallenpaupack Area that lasted more than three decades.
Ann Marie taught seventh and eighth grade for many years before taking on the role of athletic director in 2015. It’s a position she embraced with her typical energy and enthusiasm.
Dr. Joann Hudak knew Ann Marie for 30 years and worked alongside her for two decades. As assistant superintendent, Dr. Hudak had a front row seat to observe Ann Marie work her magic as a teacher, coach and the first female athletic director in school history.
“Ann Marie’s passing is a tragedy for our entire community,” Dr. Hudak said. “She was a remarkable woman who graced our lives with unwavering dedication, tireless energy, and boundless enthusiasm.
“She inspired countless students with her patience, love, sense of humor and commitment to creating not merely a place for learning, but a space where young minds flourished under her nurturing guidance.
“Ann Marie was the heartbeat of our sports programs, working behind the scenes to ensure that every athlete had the opportunity to thrive. Her dedication to fostering a culture of excellence and inclusivity enriched the lives of generations of students.”
Family comes first
Bob Simons is nothing short of a legend in the world of scholastic golf.
He’s been head coach of Paupack’s varsity team for more than a half century and is the all-time winningest links mentor in Pennsylvania history.
Bob was a teacher and administrator for 35 years. He and Ann Marie developed a close friendship in the late 1980s. It became much more during one memorable basketball season.
Notoriously shy and soft-spoken, Bob relates the story of how he and Ann Marie got together in an a voice that’s almost a whisper.
“I was coaching the girls JV and Ann Marie was the junior high coach,” he recalled. “Our varsity girls really struggled that year. I think they ended up something like 0-22.
“Al Cannon was the varsity coach and he asked us to focus on building up the program with these younger kids. So, Ann Marie and I spent a lot of time together trying to get things moving in the right direction, which we eventually did.
“But, I’ve always said that something pretty great came out of an 0-22 season.”
Bob and Ann Marie were married in 1992 in one of the happiest, most joyful ceremonies I’ve ever attended. Despite their age difference, they went on to create a wonderful relationship that became deeper still with the birth of their daughter.
Bridget arrived on the scene in April of 1994 and wasted no time following in her Mom’s footsteps as an athlete and educator.
“My Mom showed me the way to be a friend, teacher, wife, and mother,” Bridget said. “She taught me how to love unconditionally and fearlessly and to go all-in when completing a task or job.”
Bridget and her husband, Scott, gave Ann Marie the best present of all when they made her a grandmother for the first time in 2022 … then again shortly before she passed.
Anyone who’s ever known Ann Marie will attest that her love of children knew no bounds. She was born to be a teacher, then a Mom and finally a grandma.
“Mom showed me how to care for kids and always put them first,” Bridget said. “I know she loved spending time with my son the past year. I am truly thankful she was able to teach me some ‘mom tricks’ to help guide me as a new parent.”
A lasting legacy
Ann Marie Simons passed away Saturday evening at Ellen Memorial. She was 57 years old.
I’ve never known anyone who was so many things to so many people. Friend. Wife. Mom. Grandma. Teacher. Coach. Athletic Director … the list goes on and on. She leaves a lasting legacy of love and kindness that will be carried forward by literally thousands of boys and girls.
An annual scholarship is being established in Ann Marie’s honor. It will be presented each year to a senior student-athlete who demonstrates outstanding sportsmanship.
For their part, Bridget and Bob think it’s the perfect way to perpetuate Ann Marie’s memory.
“My mom meant the world to me,” Bridget said. “She told me a couple of times that her biggest weakness was that she cared too much about everything. But that was what made her the beautiful person she was.”
Bob agrees.
“I honestly don’t know how she did all the things she did,” he said. “Ann Marie put so much of herself into everything she did. She was amazing.”
This article originally appeared on Tri-County Independent: The lasting legacy of Paupack Athletic Director Ann Marie Simons (column)
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