Kami Andrea Simon

Kami Andrea Simon, survived by her dear friends and chosen family, could never be summed up by any simple epitaph. When I sat down to write her final impression on the world, a song came to mind: "Born to Be Wild." I could hear it ringing in my heart as if it had just been unleashed upon the world—much like she was.

Dynamic, passionate, and intensely private, Kami possessed a vast, rich internal world that would sometimes carry her far away from even those closest to her. She was an avid lover of literature, an insatiable audiophile with the most varied and eclectic taste in music, and driven by a deep hunger for discovering life’s most hidden mysteries. For someone who could so easily disappear into the pages of a book or a musical album, she had her own vastly untamed stories that she could tell. She was a true rebel who lived by her own standards, without reservation, leaving a solid impression on everyone who crossed her path.

Beyond her fiercely independent spirit, Kami left her mark on literally thousands of people facing the same struggles she had known herself. She helped them navigate a hard world, drawing from her own experiences—though because she was so deeply sensitive, the weight of carrying and speaking to so many took a visible toll over her final years. Those of us who remain will hold her in our hearts and retell as many of her layered stories for years to come.

Kami will be deeply missed by her loving ex-husband, Andrew Simon, who for a time sheltered and cared for her through the storms of life. She also leaves an unforgettable mark on her dear friend and steadfast protector, Gwenevere, as well as the cherished friends who walked beside her along the way—including Jennifer Samples and Ariel Gillis, who hand-crocheted the most beautiful dolls for her.

Kami was preceded in death by her birth mother, Pam Hoy, whom she lost at the tender age of six, and her maternal grandparents, Dolores and Charles Hoy, who stepped in to raise her, loving and caring for her until their own passing.

She was a child of the ocean, and to the ocean she will return.