Thomas E. Simonton, 83, died on August 12, 2015, two days after his birthday at Devon Manor, Devon, PA. Born in Honolulu, HI, he was the only child of Charles and Gertrude Simonton and grew up in Los Angeles, CA and Philadelphia, PA. He suffered from heart related problem.
Tom Simonton had spent almost 60 of his 83 years on this earth in journalism – print, broadcast and online. His first professional job, while he was still in college, was as copy boy and teletype operator at the Philadelphia Bureau of The New York Times which was then located in the Bulletin Building near the campus of his alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania, from which he was graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1956.
After graduation, Tom then proceeded up the career ladder as a criminal justice reporter for the Easton (PA) Express; a news writer for NBC Philadelphia (WRCV-TV formerly and now KYW-TV); a documentary writer-producer for NBC Washington, DC (WRC-TV); and a photo editor for the US News & World Report magazine. In all, Tom spent 39 years of his career in Washington, DC, reporting on some of the most outstanding news events in history.
Tom has received many professional awards for his work, including two local Emmys from the National Association of Television Arts & Sciences and the Distinguished Service Award for lifetime achievement from the Washington, DC Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.
He is survived by many cousins in the Philadelphia, PA and Gloucester, MA area. At his request, there will be a private memorial service.
