April 16, 2013
William Harry Simmons

William Harry (“Bill”) Simmons of Grantsville, 85, passed away  April 14. Bill was born March 26, 1928 in Seattle, Wash., to James Lael and Bertha Hall Rodgers Simmons. He had a noble Scots-Irish heritage descending from four Mayflower passengers and also Mormon pioneers. He attended Queen Anne High in Seattle where he graduated with the class of 1946. After high school he joined the U.S. Marine Corps and worked in Intelligence for one year at Camp Pendleton in San Diego. Bill attended the University of Idaho where he was president of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity and graduated with a law degree. As a young man Bill was involved with the Masons, quickly advancing to Knight Templar in the York rite and to the 32nd degree in the Scottish rite. Bill was an outstanding lawyer. His razor sharp intellect and powerful command of the language quickly propelled him to the forefront of Seattle legal and political circles. In addition to building a notable private practice, Bill was King County prosecutor, secretary-treasurer of the Teamsters Union which covered the states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska, and was the youngest attorney elected as judge in Seattle Municipal Court at that time at 30 years of age. In 1950, he married Joyce Olive Garner and had three children. They later divorced. In 1962, he married Susan Sophie Seregow and they were sealed for eternity in the Salt Lake Temple on Oct. 18, 1965. They had one daughter. Bill diligently studied the scriptures and hundreds of volumes of LDS and other religious writings.  He especially loved the words of the apostle Paul.  Bill’s greatest love was missionary work and teaching the gospel. He loved his family very much and enjoyed tending his grandchildren. His favorite age was 2 year olds. Preceding him to the great beyond are his parents, a sister Deline Hepworth and granddaughter Karlee Dawn Hall. Among those he leaves behind for now are his beloved wife of 50 years, Susan, son William Garner Simmons (Seattle, Wash.), daughter Debra Jo Hall (Highland Village, Texas), daughter Sheri Lynn (Ragnar), Faleij (Haninge, Sweden), Sarah Sue (Larry) Seals (Tooele), sister Telitha (Paul) Nieto (Walnut Creek, Calif.), brother James Lael Simmons II (Woodinville, Wash.), brother John R. (Patricia) Simmons (Arlington, Wash.), 12 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be held April 18 at 11 a.m. in the Grantsville 14th Ward, 550 E. Durfee St. A viewing will be held from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. prior to the service at the church. We are grateful to the Lord for the life and influence of Bill Simmons. Till we meet again.