THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, January 23, 1995 TAG: 9501230038
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B5 EDITION: FINAL
DATELINE: HAMPTON LENGTH: Medium: 58 lines
Captain John Wallace Simmons II, United States Navy (retired), beloved husband of Lieutenant Commander Peggy McCloskey, died Jan. 21, 1995 at the Hampton Veterans Administration Hospice. He succumbed to the brain tumor which he had valiantly fought for four years. In addition to his wife, Capt. Simmons is survived by his grandmother, Wilma S. Simmons of Hull, Ga.; his parents, John and Betty Simmons; his sister, Diann S. Carter, all of Athens, Ga.; his daughter, Kristen Simmons and grandson, Shawn, both of Virginia Beach.
Capt. Simmons was born in Athens, Ga. His 29 year association with the Navy began with the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps at Athens High and continued with ROTC at George Institute of Technology, where he graduated with a B.S. in Industrial Management. He was a member and officer of Phi Kappa Tau fraternity. Upon graduation, Capt. Simmons was commissioned an ensign, embarking upon a rewarding career in the service of his country. Capt. Simmons had numerous assignments to sea duty, ranging from a member of the pre-commissioning crew of a destroyer to chief engineer on five different ships. By far his favorite tour was the 45 months he spend as chief engineer in USS KITTY HAWK (CV 63). Midway through his career, he became an engineering duty officer. His shore tours included Naval Postgraduate School where he earned a Master of Science degree with a 4.0 average. At the time of his medical retirement after 22 years of active Naval service, Capt. Simmons served as the New Construction Carrier Officer at the Supervisor of Shipbuilding Newport News; he took great pride in working with the men and women who built USS GEORGE WASHINGTON (CVN 73). The day Capt. Simmons retired, in the word of Laurens van der Post, ``was one of the saddest I had ever experienced. . . I knew that my back was already turned on a community of men joined, however inadequately and imperfectly, for the service of something all believed greater than themselves.''
His awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal with three gold stars, the Navy Achievement Medal, the Navy Unit Commendation Medal, the Navy Expeditionary Medal, the National Service Defense Medal with bronze star, and the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with bronze star, along with the Surface Warfare Officer insignia.
He was a charter male member of the American Association of University Women, an organization whose goal of furthering the education of women he wholeheartedly supported. He also was a counselor for Lee's Friends, a support group for cancer patients based in Norfolk.
A service to celebrate te life of Capt. Simmons will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 28 at the R. Hayden Smith Funeral Home chapel in Hampton. His ashes will be scattered at sea.
In lieu of flowers, Capt. Simmons' wishes were for donations to be made to the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, 7920 Hampton Blvd., Norfolk, Va. 23505. ILLUSTRATION: Personal Photo
KEYWORDS: DEATH OBITUARY
by CNB