Roger Simmons

RENSSELAER Roger Cleary Simmons, 79, formerly of Clifton Park, died November 24, 2003 at the Community Hospice at St. Peter's Hospital after a long illness. Roger was born in Richfield Springs, the son of Elizabeth and John Simmons. Roger graduated from New Hartford High School and went on to pursue a degree in aeronautical engineering. He served in the Army Air Corps as an airplane propeller specialist. It was during this time that he was selected to pose for Norman Rockwell for an upcoming Saturday Evening Post cover, depicting an American GI with Filipino friends in a cathedral on Leyte. The World War II poster was entitled O'er the Land of the Free. Following his honorable discharge from the Army, he married Lucille Sutherland. He spent many years in materials and process research with Curtiss-Wright and Lockheed and, from 1947-1949, taught at the university level. Roger worked for Chicago Pneumatic Tool Co. in Utica, N.Y. for 19 years before joining Rotor Tool Co., a division of Cooper Industries Inc. in Cleveland, Ohio, as director of engineering. He later became vice-president of engineering. After leaving Rotor Tool Co., he briefly retired to Fla. He moved back to Upstate New York to be closer to his children. He subsequently took a job in Syracuse with Hoffman Filtration Systems. Upon retiring from Hoffman's, he moved to Clifton Park. He is predeceased by his wife of 47 years, Lucille. He is survived by his daughter, Tobi Freebern (Howard) of Rensselaer, N.Y., and three sons, Peter Simmons (Jennifer) of Castleton, N.Y., J. Douglas Simmons (Christine) of Keithville, La. and Jeffrey Simmons of Round Lake, N.Y.; five grandchildren, Hilary, Travis, Cody, Amanda and Tuesday; and two great-grandchildren, Jacob and Madison. Funeral will be from the W.J. Lyons Jr. Funeral Home, 1700 Washington Avenue, Rensselaer Wednesday morning at 11:00. All are welcome to attend. Relatives and friends are invited and may call at the funeral home Wednesday morning prior to the service from 9-11 a.m. Interment will be in Memory's Garden, Colonie. Those wishing to honor and remember Roger's memory may do so in lieu of flowers with contributions to the The Inn at St. Peter's Hospice, 315 South Manning Blvd., Albany, NY 12208 or Hospice of Schenectady, 141 Union Street, Schenectady, NY 12308. Condolence page at: www.wjlyonsfuneralhome.com