Jerry Simandle ’71

We lost one of our most esteemed and beloved classmates when Jerry Simandle died July 19, 2019, of liver cancer. His fellow judges and attorneys uniformly recalled his legal acumen, fairness, and respect for and friendliness to all. Classmates remember his ethics and promoting the engineering/society interface.

Jerry came to Princeton from Binghamton North High School in New York. He majored in basic engineering, and senior year he joined Princeton Inn along with Allman, Chapman, and Sutula.

He graduated from Penn Law School and began his public-service career as a law clerk and then attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden, N.J. He became a U.S. magistrate in Camden, a U.S. District Court judge, and then chief judge of the U.S. District Court for all of New Jersey.

He married psychologist Jane Darton in 1982 and enjoyed the rest of his life with her; her children, Roy and Liza; and five grandchildren. His professional interests included teaching judges in emerging democracies, strengthening alternative-dispute resolution, and promoting independence of the judiciary. He enjoyed his family, music, history, travel, and sports.

Many classmates and friends attended a memorial service Nov. 15, 2019, at the Princeton Chapel. The class extends its condolences to Jane, Roy, Liza, the grandchildren, other family, and numerous friends.