Mary Patricia “Pat” Simms, who spent her entire reporting career of more than 40 years at the Wisconsin State Journal, died Monday, April 5, in Madison. She was 75.
Simms was born April 15, 1945, in Buffalo, N.Y., to Alfred and Flora (Marchiando) Hoftiezer. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Daemen College — then known as Rosary Hill College — in 1966 and her master’s in journalism from Northwestern University in 1969. She moved to Madison months later to join the State Journal reporting staff.
Her first byline in the newspaper was printed July 3, 1969, and her last came nearly 50 years later. Simms retired in April 2011, but continued to freelance for the State Journal. Over the course of her career, she covered state government, wrote the newspaper’s “Snoop” column and launched the “SOS” consumer-advocacy column, which remains a regular feature in the paper.
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Simms covered some of the biggest local and national stories during her career, including the Act 10 protests at the state Capitol in 2011 and the 1970 bombing of Sterling Hall on the UW-Madison campus.
Ever the pioneer in the newsroom, Simms’ obituary notes she was the first woman in journalism in Wisconsin to demand and receive maternity leave. Simms had two children — a daughter, Sara, and son, Joe — and six grandchildren.
After retiring from the State Journal, Simms remained active in journalism and the Madison community. She served as an instructor at Madison College and Edgewood College and was the faculty adviser for the On the Edge student newspaper.
A celebration of Simms’ life will be held in July.
