Obituary of Francis George Simun
Newspaper: The Dallas Morning News (TX)Published Date: 17 May 2006
FRANCIS GEORGE SIMUN Musician, natural-food believer
Francis George Simun was trained as a musician and composer, but he found harmony in Dallas as a charismatic storyteller and leader in macrobiotic food.
Passionate about natural, healthful food, Mr. Simun operated a succession of Dallas macrobiotic restaurants in Dallas that led to his most successful venture, the Francis Simun Bakery in Deep Ellum.
Mr. Simun, 71, died April 13 of a brain tumor at a Pittsburgh hospital.
A memorial Mass will be celebrated at 5:30 p.m. Monday at Holy Trinity Catholic Church. A reception and celebration of his life will follow at 7:30 p.m. at his bakery.
Mr. Simun was good-natured and had a powerful sense of humor, said his brother, Richard V. Simun of Los Angeles.
"His jokes were a little hard to follow at times, but he had a very good sense of humor," he said.
Before coming to Dallas in the 1960s, Mr. Simun was a published composer in Miami, where he performed with the symphony.
Born in Clairton, Pa., Mr. Simun received his bachelor's degree in music composition from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh.
He played six or seven instruments, but his favorite was the clarinet, followed by the tenor saxophone. The piano was an essential part of his composing, and last year he was pondering taking up the soprano saxophone, his brother said.
After serving in the Army, Mr. Simun wrote music, performed and continued his education in the Miami area, where his compositions were performed by the symphony, his brother said.
Mr. Simun earned a master's degree in Florida, and his works were performed overseas, including in Finland, his brother said. One of his compositions was The Sky, a piece for a male choir based on the poem by Robert Penn Warren.
In the 1960s, Mr. Simun was offered a position with a North Texas university, where he planned to earn a doctorate in music. The plan was sidetracked when his Texas mentor abruptly left the university where Mr. Simun was to study, his brother said.
"Francis never got the position," his brother said.
His musical plans dashed, Mr. Simun developed a passion for macrobiotic food, running a small restaurant out of his house. A macrobiotic diet emphasizes eating natural or organic foods and fresh ingredients to enhance healthy living.
Mr. Simun's food developed a following, especially among people with food allergies, said Brandon Pollard, manager of Mr. Simun's bakery.
"He started making these bread products, these muffins, and people really started to take to it," Mr. Pollard said. "He just kind of created the bread, and it took off with the whole community that is chemically sensitive."
Mr. Simun tried his macrobiotic restaurants at several locations, including Snider Plaza, the Austin Gym and Lower Greenville Avenue, before moving to Deep Ellum about 10 years ago, Mr. Pollard said.
Demand for Mr. Simun's breads soon overtook the restaurant, and the bakery was born.
While Mr. Simun was always a beloved character, those around him noticed something was not right several months ago, Mr. Pollard said.
His friends thought he was simply exhausted from long workdays.
"We basically forced him to into a vacation," Mr. Pollard said. "We told him, 'Francis, you are either going to go on vacation, or we're going to take you to the hospital.'"
Mr. Simun agreed to take a break, but his friends soon heard from the Oklahoma City Police Department. Officers had found Mr. Simun disoriented on the side of the road with a map, trying to get back to Dallas.
He was admitted to an Oklahoma City hospital, where the brain tumor was discovered.
"He gave freely of himself," his brother said. "He was not personally attracted to money or anything. ... He never paid much attention to it."
In addition to his brother, Mr. Simun is survived by his sister, Gloria Simun Sabo of McKeesport, Pa., and a son, George Chianese of Lewisville.
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