Harry Simms (2001)

SIMMS, HICKMAN, RAMSEY, CHRISTENSEN, WELCH

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler
Date: 5/29/2006 at 14:50:33

Earlham Library Obituary Collection
Earlham, Iowa
January 2001

Funeral services for Harry Simms were held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 30, at the Bear Creek Conservative Friends Meeting House near Earlham. Mr. Simms died of complications from heart and vascular disease on Friday, Jan. 26, at Metropolitan Hospital in Des Moines at the age of 79.

Pallbearer were Gerry Christensen, Darrall Christensen, Herbert Standing, Ellis Standing, Burt Kisling, Russ Leckband and Jesse Leckband. Ushers were Burt Kisling, Russ Leckband and Ellis Standing. Burial was at the Bear Creek Cemetery near Earlham, and arrangements were handled by Kuhn Funeral Home.

Harry Simms was born the son of Ruth Hickman and Gardiner Onerdonk Simms on May 2, 1921 at Brooklyn Hospital in New York City, NY. He attended Brooklyn Friends grade schools, Poly Preparatory School and Hoster College from which he enlisted in the Navy in 1939. Harry was a radio operator on the Patterson Destroyer and was at the invasion of Pearl Harbor.

Harry married Carolyn Ramsey on April 1, 1946 in Philadelphia, Pa. Harry and Carolyn had a daughter Lynette and a son Harry. Harry was employed at the Downingtown Paper Company and by Main Line Textile Company in Philadelphia. He retired from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources. He served as secretary of the Secretary of Environmental Resources under Governor Shapp's administration.

Harry was a member of the Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, the Society of Colonial Wars in the State of New York and the Saint Nicholas Society of the City of New York.

Harry was a hard working and loving husband and father. He worked hard to see that his children were given a good education. He was socially active by being involved in grass roots politics and started the Freeholders Association to uphold the property rights of private landholders on the Brandywine watershed from Environmental Resources to develop and support legislation and environmental policies that would insure clean streams and rivers in the state.

Harry enjoyed pheasant hunting, fishing, reading fossil hunting expeditions, and making and putting out blue bird houses.

Harry leaves the following family to celebrate his life; daughter, Lynette Christensen, husband Gerald and granddaughter, Carrie; son Dr. Harry Simms and wife Susanna of Sebastopol, Calif.; sister Elizabeth Welch of Santa Barbara, Calif.; and several nieces and nephews.

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