Larry Simms

Larry L. Simms, 75, of Indianapolis, went home to be with his Lord on January 1, 2015 after a long battle with cancer. Larry was born to Frances Neal and S.B. (Samuel Bond) Simms of Springfield, Kentucky, on March 4, 1939. Larry graduated valedictorian from Springfield High School, and in 1961 graduated from the University of Kentucky with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. On August 26th of the same year, he married the love of his life, Nancy Pinkston. They relocated to Indianapolis, Indiana where he worked at the Naval Avionics Facility until 1970. Between 1961 and 1968 he attended Purdue University's Evening Division earning his Masters in Engineering. Larry took a position at Eli Lilly and Company in the Scientific Systems Programming Group in 1970. Larry loved working at Lilly where he held various positions for the next 35 years until his retirement in 2005. For a 7-year span during his time at Lilly, he taught Statistics for Butler University's Evening Division and after his retirement, worked as a statistical consultant for the Research Technologies division of Indiana University's IT organization (UITS). Larry was an active member of Orchard Park Presbyterian Church in Carmel, Indiana for 38 years. He sang in the choir, played in the hand bell choir, and over time served as an elder, clerk of the session and a longstanding member of the outreach committee. Larry's love of algebra and calculus led him to volunteer as a mathematics tutor for the young people of Orchard Park and his neighborhood. His parents and his only brother, Dr. Harold B. Simms, preceded him in death. Larry is survived by his wife of 53 years, Nancy, his children: Stephen Carlisle Simms and Jennifer Diane (Bill) Zorn, grandchildren: Rebecca Carlisle and Rachel Kientzy Zorn, sister-in-laws: Margaret Pinkston, and Kathryn Simms, and the following nieces and nephews and their families: Harold Simms, Lisanne (Simms) Craven, Mike Simms, Jeanine (Simms) Bottom, Laura (Simms)Bowra, John Simms, and Mary Kay Simms. Visitation will be at Orchard Park Presbyterian Church on Friday, January 9th, from 4-8pm. Funeral Service will be on January 10th at Orchard Park Presbyterian Church at 1pm. Interment will be at Pleasant Grove Cemetery in Springfield, Kentucky. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Christian School of New Vision in Haiti care of Orchard Park Presbyterian Church or to the Orchard Park Presbyterian Church. Arrangements entrusted to Flanner and Buchanan-Carmel