Thomas Grange Simons VI

FUNERAL HOME

Perry-Komdat Funeral Chapel - Glass Lake

2691 NY Highway 43

Averill Park, New York

Thomas Simons Obituary

Simons, Thomas Grange VI
SAND LAKE - We are heartbroken to announce the death of Thomas Grange Simons VI, affectionately known as "Rovie". He passed away at his home in Taborton, N.Y., at the age of 64 on Saturday December 9, 2023.
Rovie was born on February 7, 1959, in Mount Vernon, N.Y., to Thomas Grange Simons V and Janice Marie Smyth Simons. He attended Eastchester High School and completed a post-graduate year at Phillips Exeter Academy before attending Franklin & Marshall College, where he earned his BA in anthropology. He began working at the Environmental Protection Agency in 1982, where he became a national expert on asbestos abatement and PCBs and patiently counted the seconds until his retirement in 2017.
He had his beloved daughters Sarah (1986) and Laura (1987) with his first wife Pam Werntz in Fairfax County, Virginia. In 2002, he married the love of his life, Vicki Anderson Simons, and gained his beloved son, Eric (1987).
The life Rovie and Vicki built together was an inspiration to all. They shared a home in Wheaton, Md., and spent countless happy days together as a family at their lake house in Taborton, where Rovie was known and loved by all the neighbors as "the Mayor of Taborton." They loved to travel and visit with Vicki's extended family, who became his family, in Williamsburg, Va. They recently bought a home there and planned to split their retirement between Virginia and New York.
Rovie was a lifelong faithful Mets fan who always believed this would be the year. He was an expert fisherman and could drop a lure on a lily pad from 30 feet away. He shared his love of fishing with anyone who would listen and loved teaching kids, especially his grandkids, how to cast and reel. He was an avid coin collector, a skilled craftsman and had the greenest thumb, and found joy in sharing his creations with loved ones. He was a man of routine and did the crossword every morning with a cup of coffee. Every evening, on the couch with a glass of wine, he'd watch Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy, plus Antiques Roadshow on Mondays. His laugh and wry sense of humor were infectious. He had a huge heart and gave the best hugs.
He is survived by his wife Vicki; his children Sarah (Sarah Morelli), Eric Glover (Rob Rodems), Laura (Tim Brown); his brother Tip and sister Janice Kullman (Bill); his grandchildren Elliott, Khalil, Rahmi and Lawson; his nieces and nephews Kat, Lindsay, Will, and Liam; his mother-in-law and father-in-law, Antoinette and Percy Anderson; and brothers-in-law Vance and Craig Anderson. He will be dearly missed by his family and friends, especially the Big Bowman Lake community.
He was predeceased by his parents.
His ashes will be scattered in a private memorial by his family in the beautiful place he loved most. Visit www.perrykomdat.com for a guestbook.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Albany Times Union on Dec. 14, 2023.

Memories and Condolences
for Thomas Simons

6 Entries

Olga Dodds

January 9, 2024

Almost 9 years ago,
We came to look at a house that was for sale. We couldn´t really see the back yard, and Rovie let us into his, so we could peep over the fence. And so we got a home and a great neighbor and a friend.
It´s still hard to walk by that opening in the fence, over which so many jokes were cracked, seeds exchanged and kind and supporting words said.
A couple of weeks ago, the girls saw the lights in the house and got really excited. "Rovie is back!", they shouted. They adored Rovie, all the sneak up games, the carrot crops he shared with them...
It´s hard to accept that our dear friend will not be back, but he will always stay in our hearts.

Heidi Siegelbaum and Rob Hyman

January 8, 2024

Rovie. A tall mane of blonde hair, a universe of sarcasm, wit, and gentle ways. We met at EPA, probably outside one of our crappy buildings where you almost got mugged every day. He was just brimming with some kind of good mischief- like he was on the verge of some private revolution. Rovie came out to Seattle to visit us when he was working on the vermiculite mine in Libby, MT, and always had THE best stories- we hiked in the metallic crisp of the country, got soaked on Mt. Rainier in the rain, laughed endlessly and also had more serious conversations. We have an antique (imagine that?) wine dispenser he gave us decades ago. He was like an old sweater with an attitude and damn, we will miss him. Vicki and family, he was a total gift to the planet and he gifted more to life writ large than many people do in an entire lifetime. We will miss him end to end, for our lives and are grateful we had him in our universe and lives. Thank you for sharing him.

Keith and Dana Johnson

Planted Trees

Brenda Dixon Gottschild

December 16, 2023

I didn't have the opportunity to get to know Rovie beyond seeing him on alternate years with my cousin Vicki--his wife--at our Hundley Family Reunions. They were such a loving couple, always a supportive presence. I learned more about their lives through Cousin Vicki's Facebook posts. It was there that I read about milestones in their shared life and had the sense of a continuity of aims and values and compassion that seemed unshakeable. It's good to know that Rovie's spirit is alive and strong in the vivid memories of those who knew him and held him dear. Further, it's a fact that we humans are composed of the same energy that is shared by every living thing. And energy can neither be created or destroyed. Energy simply transforms! Rovie's soul spirit energy is now reuniting with the cloud dust, sunshine, and moonbeams from which we all emerged, in "the peace that passeth human understanding." Ride on, Rovie!

Cathy Berman

December 14, 2023

I knew Rovie since I was 13, spending summers at the lake. We were part of a group of friends and we all corresponded by letters during the winter months when we couldn´t see each other (that is, until we were driving age and met for some winter fun at
The lake). Then, I had the good fortune to be his and Vicki´s next door neighbor. I guess I always thought he´d be my next door neighbor...His quick smile, easy laughter, mischievous twinkle in his eyes and big heart will always be my memory of him. He truly was larger than life on Big Bowman Pond. I wish him peace on his journey forward.
And Vicky, Tip, Janice Ann, Sara,
Laura and Eric: my heart goes out to you and I pray for your comfort and healing at this tremendous loss of a good husband, brother and father. My family will also miss him as he was always there with a willing hand or greeting. May his memory be a blessing to all of us who were privileged to know him.

Beth Anderson

December 14, 2023

I´m very sorry to hear of Rovie´s passing. My dad and his mom spent their summers growing up at Big Bowman. I met Rovie and Vicki a few times when I rented a camp for several summers. Always friendly and kind. Rovie will be missed.

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