COURTESY PHOTO BY BILL SIMONS
Bill Simons escorted his father, Shepherd “Shep” Simons to Washington in 2015 to take part in the Honor Flight Program for World War II veterans.
By STEVE KRAUSE
There were many aspects of Shepherd “Shep” Simons’ life.
He was a proud World War II veteran and a devout member, and co-founder, of the Temple Emanu-El of Marblehead.
But those whose memories extend back 50 years will remember Shep Simons and his business for another reason. He and his two brothers took over their father’s business and were running it when one of the most celebrated manhunts in Boston-area history ended peacefully.
The business was Simons Uniforms; and the manhunt involved Albert DeSalvo, the self-styled “Boston Strangler.”
DeSalvo, who had been arrested and convicted on another charge, had confessed to being the “Boston Strangler,” who was believed to be responsible for killing 13 women in the Boston area during the early 1960s.
While incarcerated at Bridgewater State Hospital, DeSalvo escaped with two other inmates. On Feb. 27, 1967, he walked into Simons Uniforms, which was located on Western Avenue, near the intersection that was recently turned into a rotary (it is now on the Lynnway).
DeSalvo asked to call his attorney (F. Lee Bailey) and gave himself up.
“I’m not sure my father was even there that day,” said his son, Bill Simons, in an interview in November 2015, “but he has a part in this.
“There was a reward for his capture,” Simons said, “but my father wanted to make sure that any money went to DeSalvo’s family. They weren’t at fault, and they were struggling. That was my father.”
Born in Boston, Simons moved to Lynn and was graduated from Lynn Classical. He went into the Air Force in time for World War II. While in the service, Simons taught marksmanship.
“We did an oral history on him about 15 years ago,” said his daughter, Jo Ann Simons, who is CEO of Northeast Arc, in an interview in 2015. “And he told us that a good score would mean you were going overseas, and a bad score meant you were going to stay in the U.S.
“He said that if he ever saw a Lynn boy, he’d automatically fail him so he wouldn’t have to go,” she said.
While in the service, Simons’ parents moved from Lynn to Swampscott.
“There’s kind of a funny story about that,” said Jo Ann. “He came home and didn’t remember where the new house was. He had to go to the Swampscott Police Station so he could find out where the house was.”
On Nov. 2, 2015, Simons and his son went to Washington as part of the Honor Flight Tour. The Honor Flight Network is a non-profit group that funds reunions for military veterans and allows them to tour war memorials.
“He spent four years in the military during the second World War,” Bill Simons said. “I told him about the things they were going to be doing down there, and he was glad someone was going to accompany him.”
