Willis Edwin Simms

WILLIS EDWIN SIMMS OCT 6, 1922 - FEB 16, 2009 Devoted husband and father, artist and conservationist, Willis died of cancer at home in LA on Feb. 16, 2009. He was born in Ceres, CA, on Oct. 6, 1922 to Polly and Walker Simms. After graduating from Ceres High he earned an AA in Engineering from Modesto Jr. College. During WWII, he earned a MS in Meteorology from Cal Tech as a cadet in the US Army Air Core. He was stationed on Hawaii and Johnston Atoll. After the war, Willis earned a BA from Cal State LA and hand-built a house. In 1953, he married Melba Kallmann and they raised two daughters in the San Fernando Valley. Willis taught art and animation in the LA public schools. The films created by his animation classes frequently won awards at film festivals. Willis spent his life creating. His environmental cartoons for the Sierra Club are being compiled into a book, ''Bulldozer in Paradise'', available soon on Lulu.com. He also leaves behind many captivating paintings. After retiring, Willis and Melba became active in SANE/Nuclear Freeze and the Sierra Club. For many years, they produced, published and distributed the ''Sundays in the Santa Monicas'' hike schedule. As Conservation Chair of the local Sierra Club chapter, Willis led letter-writing campaigns and hikes. He is sorely missed by his wife, Melba, daughters and sons-in-law, Ellen Simms and Thomas Colton, of Berkeley, and Laura Simms and William Capman, and two grand-daughters, Emeline and Nyssa Capman, of Minneapolis, MN. Willis' life will be celebrated 2-4 pm, April 4, at Emerson Unitarian Universalist Church in Canoga Park. In lieu of flowers, please make donations in his memory to the Sierra Club or the Sierra Foothill Conservancy.www.modbee.com/obituaries