i was going to send Bernie Simpson a xmas card. We hadn't seen each other since college and we both lived in Walnut Creek. The upshot is that I never sent the card. isn't it true that we come to regret so many things that we don't do. Bernie and I went to the same grammar school. ( NDV just up from Bush & Grant) He was one year older. He was the best athlete in his class. He is in the SFHOF. I'm sorry I didn't get to say goodbye.

dear bush: Can I read the obituary somewhere??

Sorry to hear of his passing. Bernie was a classmate and a nodding acquaintance with whom I shared a couple of classes. Solid contributor on both the court and diamond for Cal.

Bernie Simpson '54, former player, teacher, coach and Prep Hall of Famer
Posted 03/16/2018 07:37PM
Bernard "Bernie" Simpson '54, a former student body president for his class and champion athlete and coach, died Feb. 28 at the age of 81 surrounded by loved ones.

Born Oct. 11, 1936, in Omaha, he moved to San Francisco with his family and attended Notre-Dame Des Victoires until 1950 before going on to SI, where he played baseball and basketball all four years. He played 120s basketball for Rene Herrerias '44 as a freshman; when Rene moved to the varsity team, Bernie played for him the next three years, culminating in the championship 1954 season and a Tournament of Champions title. He also helped coach Grove Mohr's baseball team win the AAA title, the first since 1930.

He went on to Cal, where he played on the NCAA championship baseball team in 1957 and the 1959 national championship basketball team, coached by Pete Newell. He later earned entry into the San Francisco Prep Hall of Fame for his athletic prowess.

He was a Lt-jg in the Navy and married Jacqueline Minenna in 1960. They had two sons: Craig and Chris Simpson and a daughter, Dana Freudenberger.

He returned to SI in 1962 to teach English and coach the boys' basketball team. In 1965, he led the squad to one of the key games in the history of the school when SI beat SH with a last-second basket by Bob Portman '65 (Creighton, NBA Warriors). The victory led to an AAA championship and a place in the Tournament of Champions, where SI beat Gilroy and Richmond before losing the crown to Fremont of Oakland.

"Coach Simpson was known as an excellent tactician who promoted aggressive play with multiple presses," said former SI Principal Charlie Dullea '65, who played for Bernie. "He was fun to play and practice for, though he was always tough. He made his good players even better, including my teammate who would go on to play for the Warriors."

Bernie later earned a master's degree from SFSU and coached at Laney College and Seattle University. His players remember him as an exceptionally knowledgeable, skillful and passionate coach. He later went into sales and retired as regional sales manager at Cerro Copper in San Francisco.

A Memorial Mass at St. Ignatius Church will be offered at 10 a.m. April 14 for him and his late-wife, Dona J. Simpson, who died Nov. 9, 2016.

The couple are survived by Bernie's three children, Dona's two children, 11 grandchildren, 3 great-grandchildren and lifelong friends.

https://www.siprep.org/page.cfm?p=7349&newsid=3801&ncat=2

bearister said:

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Bernie Simpson '54, former player, teacher, coach and Prep Hall of Famer
Posted 03/16/2018 07:37PM
Bernard "Bernie" Simpson '54, a former student body president for his class and champion athlete and coach, died Feb. 28 at the age of 81 surrounded by loved ones.

Born Oct. 11, 1936, in Omaha, he moved to San Francisco with his family and attended Notre-Dame Des Victoires until 1950 before going on to SI, where he played baseball and basketball all four years. He played 120s basketball for Rene Herrerias '44 as a freshman; when Rene moved to the varsity team, Bernie played for him the next three years, culminating in the championship 1954 season and a Tournament of Champions title. He also helped coach Grove Mohr's baseball team win the AAA title, the first since 1930.

He went on to Cal, where he played on the NCAA championship baseball team in 1957 and the 1959 national championship basketball team, coached by Pete Newell. He later earned entry into the San Francisco Prep Hall of Fame for his athletic prowess.

He was a Lt-jg in the Navy and married Jacqueline Minenna in 1960. They had two sons: Craig and Chris Simpson and a daughter, Dana Freudenberger.

He returned to SI in 1962 to teach English and coach the boys' basketball team. In 1965, he led the squad to one of the key games in the history of the school when SI beat SH with a last-second basket by Bob Portman '65 (Creighton, NBA Warriors). The victory led to an AAA championship and a place in the Tournament of Champions, where SI beat Gilroy and Richmond before losing the crown to Fremont of Oakland.

"Coach Simpson was known as an excellent tactician who promoted aggressive play with multiple presses," said former SI Principal Charlie Dullea '65, who played for Bernie. "He was fun to play and practice for, though he was always tough. He made his good players even better, including my teammate who would go on to play for the Warriors."

Bernie later earned a master's degree from SFSU and coached at Laney College and Seattle University. His players remember him as an exceptionally knowledgeable, skillful and passionate coach. He later went into sales and retired as regional sales manager at Cerro Copper in San Francisco.

A Memorial Mass at St. Ignatius Church will be offered at 10 a.m. April 14 for him and his late-wife, Dona J. Simpson, who died Nov. 9, 2016.

The couple are survived by Bernie's three children, Dona's two children, 11 grandchildren, 3 great-grandchildren and lifelong friends.

https://www.siprep.org/page.cfm?p=7349&newsid=3801&ncat=2

Thanks Bearister for posting.


Never would have seen this otherwise. I was at Cal to witness Simpson being part of our NCAA Championship team. Also remember reading about him during his SI days. He's another outstanding member of the 1959 team and like his teammates, he went on to a successful post basketball life.

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I believe Bernie was the only Cal athlete to play on both the 1959 NCAA Basketball Champions team and also the 1957 NCAA Baseball Champions team, which is quite an accomplishment. The 1958 Cal Football team also won the conference and went to the Rose Bowl in 1959. Those three years became one of the greatest periods in Cal men's sports, and Bernie Simpson played a big part in it.