Carol Anne (Perrine) Simmons

Cincinnati - Carol Anne (Perrine) Simmons passed away on August 17, 2025. She was born on March 26, 1942 in Cincinnati to Evelyn Voots and Frank Abernathy. When her mother died very early, Carol was adopted by Clen and Charla Perrine of Cincinnati. As a child she traveled with her new parents to south Florida every winter, where they lived in a tiny trailer. Later, Carol liked to share fond memories of those times in Florida and some trips West, eating and sleeping in that little trailer.

Throughout her life she was a fount of enthusiasm and compassion for others. She was a devoted teacher, beloved by students of all ages, from elementary and middle school to adults preparing for their high school equivalency test. She taught and directed acting in several institutions and was an actress in a dozen community theater plays and in several productions in radio and television.

She loved nature and supported protection for animals. She was fascinated by history, especially that of ancient cultures. She often said that in her second life on earth she would be an archaeologist. Carol was a certified Master Gardener. She beautified our lawns and tilled in community gardens in Cincinnati and Hilton Head Island, where she and her husband lived for fifteen years. Throughout her adult life we could find her digging in the dirt almost every warm day.

She is survived by her husband Gordon Simmons, a retired architect and professor. They met in the last year of their undergraduate programs at the University of Cincinnati. After she left for Florida ahead of him to begin her master of education, they got engaged by mail and telephone. Their marriage has lasted 62 years. A brother, Steve Armstrong, a former US Marshal, lives in El Paso, Texas, among other locations. Carol's talented sons, Geoffrey and Jeremy, she loved beyond measure.