Friends of Simon Hart

Simon was amazing! Simon accomplished so much in his life. Simon went to Cedar Ridge High School and after graduation he attended UNC Charlotte. Simon was a very active member of both schools, scholastically, artistically, athletically, and service within the community. Academically strong, he was chosen to represent his Junior class as an Academic Usher at the Senior Graduation Ceremonies. He graduated from Cedar Ridge, Suma Cum Laude, a member of the National Honor Society and the Tri-M Music Honor Society. He received honor cords for both his music and his academic excellence. During high school he supported the local community by volunteering with Habitat for Humanity. He also received a Certificate of Recognition for outstanding performance in videography where he made a short documentary, a music video, a commercial, and a fictional short story. As well as his honor classes, in his senior year of high school, Simon took Chemistry, Economics, and Psychology at Durham Technical Community College. These classes transferred over to college making him a second semester freshman upon entry. Here is what Simon’s high school math teacher had to say about him in his college application which I think sums him up accurately. “Simon is a very bright young man with an exceptional work ethic. He is extremely organized and analytical in everything that he does. Simon is an excellent problem solver and communicates his thoughts and ideas exceedingly well. Simon demonstrates diligence and perseverance when working in math class. He works hard to complete all assignments, including any extra assignments that are given. Simon can work independently or as a member of a group. He is always willing to ask questions as well as help others that do not understand the material. Unlike many students, Simon would spend lunch working on homework not just to get it done, but to make sure he understood it. Simon always wants to be certain he understands the concepts that he is learning. It’s not just about the grade. He appreciates a challenge and works persistently until he understands all facets of the problem. Simon is also a very respectful young man. He is polite to his teachers and his classmates. When putting my students into groups, I could always put Simon with any student, regardless of his or her background, mathematical ability, or gender. He is kind to others and keeps an open mind. I would often see Simon helping another student, explaining a problem or topic. In addition, Simon exhibits integrity and honesty in everything that he does. I know I speak for all of his teachers when I say that Simon is a joy to teach and a pleasure to know.” After high school graduation he attended The University of North Carolina at Charlotte pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in math. He was asked every semester to be a teacher’s assistant, but he politely declined since his class schedule was so heavy. Every semester he was on the Chancelor’s list for his high academic grades achieving a GPA of 4.0 in a very rigorous field of study. He was well loved and respected by his fellow classmates and professors. Because of his dedication to the study of Mechanical Engineering he was invited to be a member of the Tau Beta Pi Honor Society in his sophomore year. Although his studies were demanding he found the time during the school year to continue his passion for Archery. Simon had Allison Eaton who was his teacher for several science classes in High School but was also a world-champion archer and competed for a spot on the US Olympic Archery team. With Ms. Eaton’s coaching, Simon set his sights on being a world-class archer himself. Simon became a member of the Wolf Ridge Archery Club founded by Eaton. In college Simon joined the UNCC Archery Club and passed his knowledge on by coaching his fellow club members. He was well loved by his fellow archers and each year we host the Annual Simon Hart Memorial Archery Tournament. Because of his high standing within the Engineering department, Simon was given his degree in Mechanical Engineering, posthumously. Artistically, he continued playing his tenor saxophone in the High School Concert Band, Jazz Band, and the Marching Band where he became the woodwind captain in his senior year. He received many awards for his musical ability and was invited to be in the Tri-M Music Honor Society. He grew as a musician and made many strong friendships. He was always willing to help wherever needed, at fundraisers manning the concession stands at UNC football and basketball games, performing solos, playing at the annual fundraising dance, at fellow graduation ceremonies, helping setup for concerts, and carrying instruments for fellow band members. He was a friend to all, and he would always be the last one to leave after assuring everyone left safely. He was honored at his vigil by a fellow musician who played, “Amazing Grace”, on her saxophone for him. He inspired his fellow high school band members, and they decided to come together and create an alumni band. They performed at the school’s 2022 winter concert and dedicated their performance of David Gillingham’s, “At Morning’s First Light”, with an introduction given by the Music Director to Simon. His artistic endeavors did not end with his musical talent. From learning to build fires with a bow drill as “Senior Fuego” in his younger days, he was to later create things by use of fire through the art of forging. He was self-taught and started out with primitive tools working his way up to more advanced tools and techniques as his skills improved. He had a very “make do” attitude and would use what he had or what was readily available. He loved the idea of using useless scraps of metal such as railroad spikes, coils, and leaf springs that he found and turning them into beautiful and useful knives. He especially loved the step of quenching, which is dipping the finished hot blade into oil to harden it. It is said that the quench is a very special moment when a bit of steel becomes a useful, functional tool and it is the heart and soul of a blade. Simon loved this process! We loved watching a TV series called “Forged in Fire”. We both cheered as the contestants quenched their blades. His metalsmithing skills also included MIG and TIG welding. Simon was a great help welding broken farm equipment parts for me. He also loved creating things on his 3D printer. We miss the sound of his hammer ringing as he shaped hot metal into a form he designed or of his 3D printer whishing back and forth. Athletically, he was a member of the Varsity Tennis team in High School, and he enjoyed playing tennis with me when he was home. He was the founder and captain of the Cedar Ridge Ultimate Frisbee Team where he enjoyed leading the team in practices. In the summer he pursued his love of the ocean by being an avid surfer. He loved hiking and particularly loved climbing to the very top of Dragon’s Tooth in Virginia, the many peaks of North Carolina, the Smokey mountains, Yosemite National Park, and other beautiful mountain tops from Maine to Georgia. He loved it when it snowed, and skiing was a favorite winter pursuit. His sense of adventure was boundless, and he loved traveling and learning about different places and the events that happened there. One of Simon’s favorite trips was traveling across the country on a train and traveling to New York City with his bandmates. From the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, the many mountain tops to the depths of Mammoth Caves to the cities of San Francisco, Chicago, St. Louis, Boston, and everything in between he was always up to exploring. He even explored the skies by piloting drones. I’m glad we made the trip to South Carolina for us to see and experience the unforgettable full eclipse of the sun in August 2017. His love of treasure hunting was vast. He had an uncanny talent for finding crystals in our stream. He must have had my father’s eyes who loved mushroom picking when I was a young child. My father could see a mushroom from many feet away; I did not. Just like my father, Simon could see a crystal from many feet away; I did not. He liked geo-cashing and created one near our house. Hunting for treasure evolved to metal detecting, a past time he enjoyed especially on the beach. He enjoyed the simple things in life and although he loved traveling he especially enjoyed being at home and spending time with us. He especially loved spending time with his best friend and sister, Allegra, and their adventures together. Simon and Allegra always talked about being on the show “The Amazing Race”. They would have made a terrific team! One highlight was co-starring in a locally produced horror movie called, “The Welder” with her. Even during long, cold nights of shooting he always stayed positive. He never wasted a moment to learn or do something and packed so much into the time he had with us. He cared for others and never said a bad word about anyone. He was easy to be with, someone that people counted on, was there for people during their rough patches, and he had a great sense of humor. We miss him greatly and it’s devastating when parents lose a child, and a sister loses her best friend and brother. It’s beyond any pain you could ever experience in your life. It’s life changing and its heart wrenching. During his last summer with us, Simon and I took a trip to the northeast for a hiking/camping trip. We visited Acadia National Park in Maine and hiked Cadillac Mountain. In New Hampshire, we hiked Mount Washington. In Vermont, we hiked Mount Mansfield. We ate and talked around the campfire, which he made with his flint. We were together 24/7 and I loved being with my son! We were planning a trip to the Grand Canyon and hike the interior of it. After we finished our month-long journey, I remember Simon saying to me “Dad, this was the best trip ever”.