ROBERT WAS BORN SEPTEMBER 1, 1940 IN NEOSHO, MISSOURI  TO GEORGE WASHINGTON SIMMONS AND MARY ETTA SEWELL-SIMMONS AND DEPARTED THIS LIFE ON MAY 21, 2024.

AS A CHILD HE WAS RAISED WITH HIS SIBLINGS ANN SOLDAN (DECEASED), GEORGIA SOLDAN (OF SMITHTON, MISSOURI), RUBY KIMBALL (OF SAND SPRINGS, OKLAHOMA), MARY AMOS (OF SALINA, KANSAS), RICHARD “DICK” SIMMONS  (OF MINNEAPOLIS, KANSAS) AND DONNA EDIGAR (DECEASED), IN AURORA, MISSOURI AND AT THE AGE OF 9 MOVED TO GREENSBURG, KANSAS. AT THE AGE OF 17 HE MOVED WITH THE FAMILY TO SALINA, KANSAS AND WENT ON TO JOIN THE MILITARY IN DECEMBER OF 1958.

HE SERVED IN THE U.S. ARMY AS PRIVATE FIRST CLASS, FIRST BRIGADE, FIFTH INFANTRY, FORT RILEY, KANSAS AND WAS HONORABLY DISCHARGED ON MARCH 8, 1962.  HE ALSO SERVED FOR THE U.S. ARMYCORP OF ENGINEERS AS REINFORCEMENT AT THE PANAMA CANAL. DURING HIS MILITARY CAREER HE RECEIVED COMMENDATIONS AS A SHARP SHOOTER AND EXPERT MARKSMAN.

HE WAS UNITED IN MARRIAGE TO NANCY ELLEN HAYES (DECEASED), IN SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI ON SEPTEMBER 8, 1963.  THE COUPLE WERE BLESSED WITH TWO BOYS, TERRENCE LOREN SIMMONS OF NORTHWEST ARKANSAS AND ROBERT DOYLE SIMMONS (DECEASED). BOB WAS EMPLOYED AS A ROUTE DRIVER FOR DR. PEPPER IN THE SPRINGFIELD MISSOURI AREA FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND THEN BEGAN A CAREER AS AN OVER THE ROAD TRUCK DRIVER IN 1965 WHERE HE WORKED FOR SEVERAL INDEPENDENT TRUCKING COMPANIES.

HE PURCHASED HIS FIRST TRUCK IN 1974 AND BECAME AN OWNER OPERATOR, LEASING ON WITH CHARTER EXPRESS OF SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI.  OVER THE NEXT 35 YEARS HE PURCHASED AND WORE OUT SEVERAL TRUCKS UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT IN 1996.  AFTER BECOMING BORED HE WENT BACK TO WORK FOR INDEPENDENT TRUCKING COMPANIES IN 2000 AND CONTINUED DRIVING UNTIL 2013. AFTER HIS SECOND RETIREMENT, BOB ENJOYED SPENDING HIS TIME FISHING WITH HIS NEPHEW DAN SOLDAN, SON TERRY SIMMONS, AND BONUS GRANDSON HUNTER WATTS (DECEASED). HE FUTHER ENJOYED SPENDING TIME WITH HIS GRANDCHILDREN LAURI, CHRISTI, MICHAEL (DECEASED), AND GREAT GRANDDAUGHTERS BROOKE, RACHEL, LEANN, TIARA, SOPHIA, AND SAVANNAH, AS WELL AS HIS BONUS GREAT GRANDCHILDREN TEAGAN, JASMINE, MCKINSEY AND LAKELYN.

A VISITATION FOR BOB WILL BE HELD THURSDAY, MAY 30, 2024, 6 PM – 8 PM AT GREENLAWN FUNERAL HOME NORTH, 3506 N. NATIONAL AVENUE, SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI 65803. THE FUNERAL WILL BE HELD FRIDAY, MAY 31, 2024, AT GREENLAWN FUNERAL HOME AT 1 PM. WITH GRAVESIDE SERVICES TO FOLLOW AT GREENLAWN MEMORIAL GARDENS CEMETERY.