Daniel Joseph Simmons

Dan was born in Peoria, Illinois on April 4, 1948 to his parents Robert A. Simmons and Kathryn H. (Catton) Simmons. His childhood was filled with happy memories of riding bikes with friends throughout cornfield-lined roads in the Midwest, first in Brimfield, Illinois and then in Pittsboro, Indiana.

He graduated with an English degree from Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Indiana, and earned a graduate degree in education from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.

Dan embarked on a career as an elementary school teacher in Missouri, later teaching in Buffalo, New York, and Longmont, Colorado, where he taught sixth grade. During his eighteen years in education, he co-created and taught a districtwide program for gifted students that was the first of its kind, and he was named a finalist for the Colorado Teacher of the Year.

Dan had a profound passion for teaching, and was beloved by many of his students for his innovative, energizing, and creative approach in the classroom. He brought science to life for his students with Carl Sagan’s Cosmos series, ran interactive simulations on topics like the Cuban Missile Crisis and the harmful effects of discrimination, and incorporated his love of topics like Greek mythology, film, and art into his lectures.

Every day after lunch, Dan told his students a daily installment of an epic tale that started on the first day of school. As they listened, the students would color illustrations that he’d drawn for them. When the story finally came to an end on the last day of school, many recall being reduced to tears. This story would go on to become Dan’s Hyperion cantos (1989), a critically acclaimed, four-part science fiction classic.

Over the course of his life, former students would tell Dan that they still had their notes from his Black history lectures, and that he had inspired their lifelong love of reading and writing. Long after he left the classroom, he continued to share what he loved with everyone around him, teaching his grandchildren all about the 1950s era monster movies that he loved, and giving endearingly professorial introductions to films that he and Karen shared with scores of friends when they hosted backyard summer movies.

In addition to teaching, reading and writing were the great loves of Dan’s life. As a child, he read everything he could find, spanning from comic books to literary classics and nonfiction. Throughout his life, he particularly loved learning about space, science, and history. Starting in early childhood, Dan had a remarkable gift for storytelling, which would become his life's work. His first published story came out on the day his daughter Jane was born, a day that confirmed to him that his true love was his family.

In 1987, Dan took a daring leap and left teaching to follow his dream to work full-time as an author. His debut novel, Song of Kali (1985), was inspired by three days that he spent in Kolkata, India, and won the 1986 World Fantasy Award.

He went on to write thirty-one novels and short story collections, many of which were honored with accolades ranging from Bram Stoker awards, Locus awards, the Shirley Jackson award, and the prestigious Hugo award. His most meaningful award was an honorary doctorate from Wabash College, a place that changed his life and set him on a path towards a life well lived. His titles have been published in 28 foreign countries and translated into at least 20 languages, and his many book tours, conferences, and workshops took him all over the world.

Like his early reading pursuits, Dan always wrote about what he loved. He defied literary norms by writing across genres, switching between major publishers, and defying pressure to conform to formulaic novels. His works span from historical fiction to horror, hard-boiled crime, and speculative fiction. They explore topics ranging from Ernest Hemingway’s WWII Cuban spy ring to mountain climbing in the Himalayas. In 2018, his novel The Terror (2007) was released as an AMC limited series. Dan was a profoundly curious learner who delighted in connecting with other curious minds, and the many stories he dreamed up helped him connect with others throughout his entire life.

Dan is predeceased by his parents and his brother Ted. He is survived by his loving wife and daughter, Karen and Jane Simmons; his beloved grandchildren, Milo and Lucia Glenn; and his brother, Wayne Simmons.

Dan's cremation has been entrusted to Ahlberg Funeral Chapel of Longmont, Colorado. His ashes will be scattered at a later date. Details for a Celebration of Life are pending.

Gifts in memory of Dan may be made to Wabash College online at www.wabash.edu/give or to Wabash College Advancement Office 301 W. Wabash Ave. Crawfordsville, IN 47933.

Please visit www.ahlbergfuneralchapel.com for upcoming service information, to make a memorial donation to Wabash College and to share fond memories and condolences with his loving family.