Hundreds mourn retired NYPD Det. Michael Simeone

Hundreds of mourners on Friday remembered retired NYPD Det. Michael Simeone, a 31-year police veteran, philanthropist for police families and an avid motorcyclist who was killed in a crash earlier this week on the Southern State Parkway.

Simeone, 58, of Massapequa, was riding westbound on the parkway in Babylon on Sunday afternoon when his 2014 Harley-Davidson struck a light pole on the right shoulder, crossed three lanes of traffic and hit the median guardrail.

At Maria Regina Roman Catholic Church in Seaford on Friday, Simeone’s coffin was draped in the NYPD’s green, white and blue flag. It had arrived in a glass hearse towed by a motorcycle after being led in a procession that featured dozens of motorcycles and vintage NYPD police cruisers.

His coffin was greeted at the church by an NYPD honor guard of flags, and the NYPD Emerald Society Pipe and Drums Band playing “Amazing Grace” on bagpipes.

NYPD officials said Simeone was appointed in January 1984 and recorded more than 400 arrests during his career on patrol in Queens and while investigating auto crimes. He retired in September 2014 as detective first grade.

Friends and clergy said Simeone dedicated his life to his family, the police force and their families, and loved to be on the road with his wife, Robin. On the surface, he exuded an ex-cop and tough-biker exterior, said NYPD Chaplain Msgr. Robert Romano, but in reality was the “Pillsbury dough boy” with a soft center.

“Today we come together to say goodbye the biggest mozzarell in the world,” Romano said to laughs from the crowd. “He looked like a tough guy, something out of Hells Angels, but when you get to know him, he was the nicest and sweetest guy in the world.”

Romano described the dedicated police officer who went beyond the call of duty to take on charitable causes of the police department and help families of fallen officers.

Simeone was a leader with the Knights of Columbus and a past president of the NYPD Anchor Club to assist police families.

“Try not to mourn him; celebrate his life on earth. He tried to help people and make their lives better with joy and happiness and succeeded all the time,” Romano said. “Michael was one who shared himself. As big as he was physically, his heart was three times bigger.”

Retired NYPD Sgt. Phillip Parrish of Massapequa said the number of lives Simeone touched was evident by the large crowd who paid their respects Friday.

He said Simeone also was a leader of the Community Police Society and the Blue Knights law enforcement charitable motorcycle club. He also loved the road and died doing what he loved, Parrish said.

“Michael was a very serious individual and at the same time a comedian,” Parrish said. “He could laugh at himself and others. He was an unbelievable man of great faith. He was incredibly selfless.”

By John Asbury

john.asbury@newsday.comJohnAsbury

John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.