James William Simmons' Obituary
James Williams Simmons died on October 24th; just 36 hours shy of his 103rd birthday. He was the son of Jack W. Simmons and Carolyn M. Anderson, born in Kansas City, Missouri in 1913. Bill met and married Marguerite Virginia Means while they were both working for the Calvin Company in Kansas City in 1951. He spent his days and substance on the unglamorous and often thankless side of the industry, behind the lens of a camera, as a motion picture photographer in the industrial and educational field as well as top secret government projects. As a young man, he photographed and befriended well-known celebrities from William Frawley to President Harry S. Truman. He believed in working hard and playing hard. In his youth, he won a myriad of awards for professional boat racing. One of my fondest memories is our weekend trips in his boat, Dad and I taking turns navigating or skiing while Mother made our lunches of fried chicken and homemade potato salad. He could never sit still for more than five minutes at a time. So, it was no surprise when, even in his retirement, he went back to class and learned the ins and outs of the real estate game. In his twilight years, he took care of my mother and then, in her absence, made new and loving friendships within the entire community of vital, independent, world-travelled seniors at the Solana of Germantown. My father always greeted you with a warm smile, a firm handshake, and pleasant conversation. He was an exceptionally talented, creative, and kind-hearted man, always available to lend a helping hand to whomever need it, whether they be stranger, friend, or family. Dad was well-loved and will be forever missed by his surviving daughter, Bonnie, granddaughters Ronda and Carolyn, and his two great-grandchildren Sydney and Dorian. A memorial service will be held on Sunday, October 30th at 2:00P.M. at the Sanctuary on the Square, 104 N. Rowlett Street in Collierville. His services have been entrusted to Memorial Park Funeral Home and Cemetery, 5668 Poplar Ave., Memphis TN 38119. (901) 767-8930. “Celebrating Life….Behind the Stone Wall.”
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