Michael Joseph Simms

12/23/1954 - 06/16/2025

Michael Joseph "Mike" Simms, a resident of Silver Spring, Maryland, passed away on June 16, 2025 at Casey House Hospice in Rockville, Maryland after a brief illness. He was 70.
Born on December 23, 1954, Michael embraced life with enthusiasm and a competitive spirit that shone through in everything he did, from paintballing with his children to coaching softball. He was a man of many passions, including setting off fireworks on the Fourth of July at the family farm, making Pinewood Derby cars, leading Boy Scout camping trips, and delving into school science projects. Michael found joy in the simple pleasures: listening to classic rock bands like Little Feat, The Eagles, The James Gang, The Allman Brothers Band, and Pink Floyd while driving, sharing bad puns, and gathering with loved ones for game nights and family reunions. In addition to annual family trips to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, his love for travel took him to the Rocky Mountains, the Southwestern desert and to Oxford, England for his daughter's wedding. Later in life, he embraced new adventures, learning to scuba dive with his son Jeremy and best friend Davey J.
Michael was a natural student and educator, a gift he shared with his mother and grandparents. Inspired by his geology professor on a research trip to Colorado, he earned a B.S. in Geology in 1976 from Frostburg State University, where he was a member of Alpha Delta Chi. As a member of the class of 1972, he graduated from Woodward High School in Rockville, MD, where he was involved in theater on the stage crew and played on the football team.
His career began in outside sales at MS Electronics, where his talent for engaging with people was put to good use. He went on to found Vanguard Cable Corporation and Vanguard Connections Corp. Later, Michael's passion for teaching led him back to education, this time at Nature's Classroom, where he taught science and enjoyed connecting with young people and sparking their interest in subjects ranging from glaciers to fractions to outdoor survival skills. He also pursued his love for driving, obtaining his commercial driver's license.
Michael was the son of the late Malcolm Austin Simms, Jr. of Baltimore, Maryland, founder of MS Electronics, and the late Katharine (Bauer) Simms Hallambauer of Vermillion, South Dakota, professor of mathematics at Montgomery College in Rockville Maryland. He is survived by his younger sister, Terrie Jayne (Simms) Daniels of Dickerson, Maryland; his nephew, Ryan Graydon Daniels, also of Dickerson; and his four children, Erica Lee (Simms) Williams of Tokyo, Japan; Retired U.S. Marine Corps MSgt. Jeremy Michael Simms of Patrick Space Force Base, Florida; Brian Andrew Simms of Richmond, Virginia; and Lara Elizabeth (Simms) Whiting of Williamsburg, Virginia.
Michael was also a proud grandfather of eight: Jacob Michael Oyster, Garrett Ryan Oyster, Grace Elizabeth (Oyster) Kersten, Gage David Oyster, Mason Alexander Simms, Astrid Elizabeth Williams, Warner Austin Simms, and Liam Waterman Simms, and great-grandfather of O'rion Kersten and Elena Ryan Oyster.
Michael's family can be contacted regarding attendance at a private memorial service.