Stephen SIMMONS Jr.

SIMMONS, Stephen, Jr.

Stephen Simmons Jr., 82, of East Granby, died after a long illness on Tuesday, (June 25, 2013) at Meadowbrook of Granby. He was preceded in death by his wife, Joyce G. Simmons, in 1994. They moved to East Granby in 1973, at the time of their marriage. Born in Provincetown, MA on June 24, 1931, he was the son of the late Stephen and Mary Simmons. He attended local schools, graduating in 1949. He was a member of the Provincetown High School basketball team of 1948-49. He entered the military in 1949 and served in the 8th Air Force during the Korean War. He moved to Connecticut in 1953 and lived in Hartford and West Hartford for 20 years. For 12 years he worked at Pratt & Whitney in East Hartford, South Windsor, and Middletown. In 1965 he joined the Connecticut General Life Insurance Co., in Bloomfield, as a computer programmer trainee. He remained in computer systems, for 31 years, 22 of those years with the Individual Life Insurance Division. He retired in 1996. Until 2002, he maintained a vacation home on Alden St. in Provincetown, visiting there often. Otherwise, he rarely strayed from home, preferring to spend time with his family. A man of simple tastes, he enjoyed reading, films, sports (especially UCONN basketball), crossword puzzles, walking, yard work, and his two dogs May and Sue. In the early 90's, Mr. Simmons and his late wife toured the dog show circuit, throughout the northeast, showing their shih tzu dogs with some success. He is survived by his two sons, Stephen E. Simmons of Ashburn, VA and Michael P. Simmons of Fort Wayne, IN, his daughter-in-law, Megan Simmons of Ashburn, VA, and two beautiful granddaughters, Eliana and Amelia. He was a member of the East Granby Congregational Church.
A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 29 at the East Granby Congregational Church, 9 Rainbow Rd., East Granby, followed by burial with military honors in Elmwood Cemetery, East Granby. The family will receive friends prior to the service on Saturday from 9-10 a.m. at the church. Memorial donations may be made to the East Granby Congregational Church, P.O. Box 390, East Granby, CT 06026. For online condolences please visit www.carmonfuneralhome.com.