SIMMONS, Bernard C. 1924-2000

SIMMONS

Posted By: S. Bell
Date: 5/22/2014 at 23:28:59

Bernard C. Simmons July 16, 1924 - May 26, 2000

[Waterloo Courier, May 28, 2000]

A longtime Waterloo manufacturing company executive was killed Friday night in a collision with a Waterloo police car.

Bernard C. "Barney" Simmons, 75, of 173 Graceline Blvd., president of Zeidlers Inc., died as a result of injuries received in the accident, which occurred at the intersection of Kimball and Byron avenues shortly before 9 a.m. Friday.

According to authorities, Simmons' vehicle collided with a police car driven by Waterloo police officer Jeffery Tyler. Simmons was taken to Covenant Medical Center where he died. Tyler was treated at Allen Hospital for injuries and released.

The Iowa State Patrol and Waterloo police are conducting concurrent investigations of the accident, which occurred in the middle of a downpour.

No information was immediately available on either vehicle's direction of travel or as to whether Tyler was responding to a call for service at the time of the accident. However, Simmons' Graceline home is a short distance west of the intersection and sources said he was reportedly headed in that direction at the time of the accident.

Kimball is a north-south through street, and Byron, an east-west road that becomes Maryland Avenue and intersects with Graceline one block west of where the accident occurred, is a main access to the Hy-Vee grocery store two blocks east of the intersection.

Simmons had worked for Zeidlers 44 years and was its president for the past 19 years. A civil engineer and a 1950 graduate of Iowa State University, he joined the firm in April 1956 and was named president in January 1981. Zeidlers, more than 60 years old, produces concrete pipe, concrete block and concrete drain tile at plants in Waterloo and around the state.

Simmons, following the tradition of his mentor and predecessor at Zeidlers, the late Waterloo philanthropist Carl E. Bluedorn, was active in a number of community, civic and professional organizations, as well as fund raising for Iowa State. He served several years on the city of Waterloo's Community Development Board and on the board of directors at Allen Hospital.

A classic car enthusiast, Simmons for years chaired and coordinated the annual Shrine Car Show, sponsored by the Vintage Auto Unit of El Kahir Shrine Temple, raising funds for Shriners Hospitals for Children and other Shrine charities.

Professionally, he served on the board of the American Concrete Pipe Association.

He also served on the board of governors of the Iowa State University Foundation, and as a member of the ISU Athletic Council. He was past president of the county ISU Alumni Association and was regional co-chair of a $150 million university fund drive in 1991.

Services for Simmons are pending at Locke Funeral Home.

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SSDI:
Name: Bernard C. Simmons
State of Issue: Iowa
Date of Birth: Wednesday July 16, 1924
Date of Death: Friday May 26, 2000
Est. Age at Death: 75 years, 10 months, 10 days
Confirmation: Verified
Last known residence:
City: Waterloo, Eagle Center, Orange
County: Black Hawk
State: Iowa