John Robert Simmons, age 80, of Lynn Gap Road in Spruce Pine, passed away Wednesday, June 12, 2024 at the Frye Regional Hospital in Hickory.
Born on June 2, 1944 in McDowell County, he was the son of the late Robert Glenn ‘Slim” Simmons and the late Nell Lowery Simmons. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, JoAnn ‘Jo’ Roberts Simmons who passed away in 2018. Also preceding him in death was his sisters; Becky Burleson and Mary Lou Young and his nephew, Alan Young.
John graduated in 1962 from Harris High School. He went on to East Tennessee State University where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree. He was a member of the Grassy Creek Baptist Church. He loved his church family and being a part of the building committee.
He was the owner and operator of Simmons Construction & Realty. He was always dedicated to his quality of work, no matter what the size of the job. John was presented in appreciation for outstanding leadership and dedicated service in 2010 by the Home Builders Association. In 1997, he was mentioned in the Timber Homes Illustrated as the crafted local timber framer for the work he had done on a mountain home in the Blue Ridge Mountains. John had been a member of the N.R.A. since 1979 and was nominated to the N.R.A. Legion of Honor. He was an avid E.C. Simmons-Keen Kutter tool collector as well as a gun collector.
Left to cherish his memory is his nieces and nephews; Bryan Burleson, Jamie Burleson, Vickie Gibbs, Stacey Manis, Allison Huffman, and William Young, several great and great-great nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be on Monday, June 17, 2024 at 6:00 pm at Grassy Creek Baptist Church with the Rev. Nathan Silver officiating. Private graveside services will follow in the Grassy Creek Memorial Gardens.
In lieu of flowers, please make memorial donations to either; St. Jude Children’s Hospital www.stjude.org or Mitchell County Animal Rescue, 2492 U.S. 19-E, Spruce Pine, NC 28777 www.mitchellcountyanimalrescue.org
Words of comfort may be e-mailed to the family by going to the website; www.webbfh.com, selecting John Simmons’ name and then you may sign his guestbook.
Webb Funeral Home has been entrusted with the arrangements for Mr. Simmons and is honored to be serving the Simmons family.
Mr. Simmons’ obituary has also been posted on Facebook for viewing
