Ronald Lee Simmons

Ronald Lee Simmons, 71, LaPlata, MD, formerly of Kansas City, KS, until moving away in 1955, passed away August 12, 2002, at Civista Hospital in LaPlata, MD. Ronald, the son of Howard H. and Anna Miller Simmons, was born December 17, 1930, in Kansas City, MO. His parents and a grandson, Nathan Aaron Carpenter, preceded him. Mr. Simmons was an internationally recognized authority on solid propellants with over 49 years of experience in solid propellants and explosives. His work covered a wide spectrum of research, design, development, manufacture and testing of solid propellants for rockets, guns, gas generators, automotive air bag inflators, and propellant-actuated devices. As well as commercial explosives, nitroglycerin-based dynamites, underground and strip mining explosives, ammonium nitrate blasting agents, the use of surplus and obsolete solid propellants as mining explosives, and the synthesis + characterization of new energetic ingredients for explosives and propellants. He graduated from Argentine High School in 1948, and the University of Kansas in 1952 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Chemistry. He then attended Graduate School at the University of Kansas, where he studied Physical Chemistry. He began his career with Hercules Powder Company (later known as Hercules Aerospace) in 1953, and worked for Hercules until 1973. During this period, he worked at the Hercules plants at De Soto, KS, Kenvil, NJ, Cumberland, MD, Salt Lake City, and Eglin Air Force Base in Fort Walton Beach, FL. From May 1973 to June 1974, he worked for Rocketdyne at Canoga Park, CA. In 1974, he rejoined Hercules and worked at several different locations until retiring in July 1987. From 1987 until 1989, he consulted in the U.S., Germany and Taiwan on various aerospace propulsion topics. Since October 1989, Mr. Simmons was employed with the United States Naval Surface Warfare Center at Indian Head, MD, as a Senior Propulsion Technologist/Specialist. Mr. Simmons was an Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics (AIAA); AIAA Solid Rocket Technical Committee, 1984-1987; AIAA Propellants and Combustion Technical Committee, 1980-1983; National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA); National Academy of Sciences International Affairs Committee (2001); National Research Council/National Academy of Science Committee (1998); and Alpha Chi Sigma (Chemistry). He authored over 80 technical publications with Hercules Aerospace, Rocketdyne and the United States Navy. He was developing technical books and a lecture series concerning the history of solid propellants and the fundamentals of gun propulsion. He holds four patents on powders and propellants. He received the JANNAF Combustion recognition award in November 2000, and the David Packard award for U.S. Marines AAAV 30/40mm program IPT team. His business required him to travel to numerous countries, including Germany, Russia, Switzerland, Sweden and Norway. Ron's hobbies included flying, hiking, photography, family genealogy, spelunking, chess and competitive pistol shooting. He was also an avid sports car enthusiast. He was the Chairman of the Kittatinny (NJ) Grotto of the National Speleological Society (NSS), 1960-1964. He participated in numerous state (MD, VA, CA and UT), regional, and national pistol matches, including final tryouts (only by invitation to the top 50 competitors in the US) for the International Shooting Teams in 1975, 1976 and 1977. Ron was Firearms Instructor for the Allegany County (Maryland) Sheriff's Department from 1968 to 1973 and held the title of Pistol Champion of Western Maryland from 1968 to 1973. He held Private, single-engine, Commercial, Flight Instructor licenses; Basic, Advanced and Instrument Ground Instructor licenses; Instrument and SeaPlane ratings. In March of 1951, Ron married Jean Smith in Kansas City, KS. They have three children. Surviving are a son, William Ronald Simmons and his wife, Cynthia, of St. Joseph, MO; two daughters, Ann Lorraine Simmons and her husband, Russel Mulock of Los Angeles, CA, and Sharon Kay Carpenter and her brother, Randy, of Fort Walton Beach, FL; and a brother, Donald H. Simmons and his wife, Carri, of Overland Park, KS. In August 1990, he married Carol Krause Simmons in LaPlata, MD. Other survivors include 11 grandchildren, two stepdaughters, Tracy Jeanne Back of St. Louis and Kerri Louise Tibbits Bowman of Charlotte, NC; numerous cousins, nieces, nephews and colleagues around the world. Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Simmons Funeral Home, Kansas City, KS, where friends may call 8-9 a.m. Friday; burial in Maple Hill Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, family suggests memorial contributions be made to The Smithsonian Institution in care of the County First Bank, LaPlata, MD 20646.