James Ward Simmons

James Ward Simmons was born April 26, 1931, in Whittier, Calif., the son of Ward Simmons.

He graduated from Whittier Union High School in 1949 and married his high school sweetheart, Janet Beam, in 1950.

Mr. Simmons enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1951 and served on the aircraft carrier, USS Yorktown. He was honorably discharged in 1954.

Mr. Simmons then began his career as a beloved "produce man" as a produce buyer for Model Markets in Whittier. He subsequently worked for Quaker City Produce Co. before beginning his own business, Highland Produce Company, in 1963.

Mr. Simmons was a 32nd degree Mason and a member of the Shrine. In California, he served as Worshipful Master of La Habra Lodge 659 in 1973 and as Associate Guardian of Job's Daughters Bethel 333 in La Habra.

After retiring to northern Idaho, he served as the president of the Panhandle Shrine Club and, for several years, he coordinated clinics where orthopedically impaired children were evaluated by local physicians free of charge. He also served as the treasurer of Lakeside Lodge 42 in Sandpoint, Idaho.

During his "spare time," Mr. Simmons was a bus driver for the Lake Pend Oreille School District. He and his wife were members of First Lutheran Church in Sandpoint.

Mr. Simmons is survived by his wife of 56 years, Janet; his daughters, Jane Simmons of Riverside, Calif., and Janis Davey of Sandpoint; grandson, Dr. Bryan Davey, his wife Andrea, and daughter Emma, of Powder Springs, Ga.; and grandson, Christopher Davey of Naperville, Ill.

The family requests that donations be made to Shriners Hospital for Children, 911 W. Fifth Avenue, Spokane, WA 92204-2901.

Please sign James's guest registry and view his online memorial at www.englishfuneralchapel.com.