Ned Simmons

2001

Edgar Harvey Simmons Jr.
06 Nov 1944 - 01 Dec 2006

Clubs & Associations

Obituary

SIMMONS
EDGAR H. JR. "NED", Dec. 1, 2006. Beloved son of Jane and Edgar H. Simmons Sr., brother of J. Scott (Lynn) Simmons, uncle of Dana L. and Devin M. Simmons. Ned was a member of Tacony Lodge #600 F&AM. Service and Interment private. Memorial contributions in Ned's name may be made to Shriners Hospital, 3551 N. Broad St., Phila. PA 19140. (MANNAL FUNERAL HOME)^[1]

Remembrances

On December 1st, 2006, Ned Simmons Jr passed away in the Holy Redeemer Hospital ICU due to complications that resulted in hypovolemia and edema. And so, in the end, the strongest heart I knew couldn’t beat any more. He was survived by his beloved mother Jane and his father Ned Sr, as well as his brother Scott and his nieces Dana and Devin, and myself, Jan, his partner of 9 years.

Ned was a unique individual, very much of a renaissance man. He was able to talk intelligently to anyone about almost any topic, and would be often seen at Square dances chatting with various people. He was an avid collector of Wedgwood, and loved being part of the Cheltenham English Ceramics and Chinese Export study group. At his memorial, people spoke of his curiosity about life and his willingness to engage in it. He traveled. A lot. And with his facilities to grasp languages (and just as quickly drop them), he explored most of the world in one way or another. Tokyo, Japan and London, England were easily his favorite places to visit, along with Rehoboth, Delaware (of course).

Ned was spiritual, and a Christian. When he was younger, he took part in some Christian counseling volunteer work at Holmesburg prison. He had a lot of tales to tell of his time there.

Ned had an excellent eye for aesthetics, which assisted him in his job as the greenhouse manager at the Oakland cemetery. The flower arrangements and wreaths he made for people were simply gorgeous. He knew his way around the world of plants and the art of horticulture. He would, of course, attend the Philadelphia Flower show annually. Christmas time was his favorite time of year, and given his artistic eye, the tree always shined beautifully. Every year, there were new ornaments to see, found at our yearly pilgrimage to the Radko ornament store in the artist Co-op in Ephrata. Because interacting with artists at art shows like Sugarloaf or even at Renaissance Faires thrilled Ned.

Simply put, Ned was a force of nature. He was direct. He lived life and did not back down. If he liked you, you knew it. If he did not, you knew it as well. Life with him was honest, challenging, loving, and filled with humor and arguments. For the most part, issues were resolved, not ignored. Challenging ... but so worth it.

One last memory, that so many people shared at Ned’s memorial, was the joy of talking as we all were tubing down the Delaware. Gentle winds. Warm Sun. Comfortably lying back. Shooting the breeze, and just drifting. It is a memory I always fall back to when I am feeling low, and one of the many experiences I cherished with him.

Direct. Engaging. Aesthetics. Art. Travel. Spirit. Study. Knowledge. Life. Ned.

Bright blessings,
— Jan Marquardt