James L Simmons

James Larry Simmons, Jessieville, Ark., departed this realm on July 3, 2018 in Jessieville. He was born in McCrory, Ark. (Woodruff County) on April 20, 1927 to John Jefferson (JJ) Simmons & Kathryn I. (Kate) Warner Simmons. He graduated from McCrory High School and entered Arkansas State College at Jonesboro at the age of 16 in Sept. 1943. In the summer of 1944, he volunteered for the Army. After infantry basic training at Camp Robinson in North Little Rock in 1945, he was sent to Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, Ga. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lt. of infantry and sent to Frankfurt, Germany. While there, he met his future wife, Mary J. O'Brien, who was a civilian employee of British Army Intelligence. In early 1947, he was sent home and released from active duty. Mary came to the US and they were married June 28, 1947. After a year at Baylor University, he was recalled to active duty and sent to Puerto Rico. A year later he was sent home and relieved of active duty. He entered Tulane University, College of Civil Engineering and received a BSCE (Structural) in 1952, and an MSCE (Structural) in 1959. For 32 years he worked in structural design in buildings, bridges and off shore structures (Gulf of Mexico). In 1984, he and Mary moved to their acreage north of Lake Ouachita. Mary died there in 1999. He was predeceased by his parents, his wife, daughter-in-law, Gaye Simmons and brother-in-law, Paul Worthington. Survivors include their children, daughter, Maureen Simmons Miller (Jimmy) of Jessieville, Ark.; son, Jeff Simmons of Tulsa, Okla. Grandchildren: Beth Miller Higgins (Josh) of Rowlett, Texas, James Miller (Amber) of Jessieville, Ark., triplet grandsons: Harry, Frank & Sam Simmons of Tulsa, Okla., and twin great-grandsons: Johnny & Jameson Miller of Jessieville, Ark. and sister, Mary Frances Worthington of Slippery Rock, Pa. and good friend Debbie Johnson. Local arrangements are by Caruth Village Funeral Home. Private burial will be in Fakes Cemetery in McCrory, AR by Thompson-Wilson Funeral Home in McCrory. Memorials may be made to Arkansas Children's Hospital, Ronald McDonald House and St. Jude's Children's Hospital. Guests may register at www.caruth-hale.com.