 1926 - 2006 (80 years)
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| Name |
Forest Holland Simms [1] |
| Nickname |
Hod |
| Birth |
24 May 1926 |
Rainelle, Greenbrier County, WV  [2, 3] |
| Gender |
Male |
| Death |
13 Nov 2006 |
Rainelle, Greenbrier County, WV [1] |
- Forest Holland "Hod" Simms
RAINELLE -
Forest Holland "Hod" Simms, 80, of Simms Mountain Road, passed away early Monday morning, Nov. 15, 2006, at his home following a long illness. His wife of 56 years, Audrey, was by his side.
Born May 24, 1926, at Bellwood, he was a son of the late Stewart Thomas and Tilitha Cuma Sanford Simms.
He retired from C&O Railroad after 44 years of working with the Maintenance of the Way Department. Foresr enjoyed one glorious year of retirement before being diagnosed with COPD. Forest loved working in his garden, riding his 4-wheeler, tinkering with lawn mowers, wood crafts, hunting and fishing. Some of his favorite pastimes were playing his banjo and listening to bluegrass music. He loved to sit in his swing in the front yard and talk to his neighbors. Forest was of the Baptist faith, and fought a long and courageous battle for the past 17 years.
Survivors include his wife of 56 years, Audrey M. Lynn Simms; three daughters, Sarah Dorsey and husband Denzil of Marion, Ohio, Victoria Spangler and husband Thomas of Cary, N.C., and Rebecca Luann Robinson and husband, John of Delaplane, Va.; a sister, Geneva Meadowsof Bellwood; a sister-in-law, Sue Miller Simms of Crichton; two grandsons, Stephen Dorsey of Marion, Ohio, and Jonathan Dorsey of Davis, Calif.; three granddaughters, Sonja Smith of Manassas, Va., Heather Bertrand of Delaplane and Brittany Spangler of Cary; five great-grandchildren, Brandon, Austin and Mariah Smith all of Manassas and Jayden Bertrand of Delaplane; and a host of nieces and nephews.
Service will be 2 p.m. Thursday at Wallace & Wallace Chapel, Rainelle with the Rev. Keith Shumaker officiating, assisted by Brother Robert Nolen. Burial will follow in Wallace memorial Cemetery, Clintonville.
At the conclusioon, the White Flights will be released.
Friends may share in the celebration of his life one hour before service Thursday.
|
| Burial |
14 Nov 2006 |
Wallace Memorial Cemetery [1] |
| Person ID |
I842 |
Crane Genealogy |
| Last Modified |
9 May 2018 |
| Father |
Stewart Thomas Simms, b. 15 Mar 1895, Rainelle, Greenbrier County, WV d. 3 Apr 1976, Beckley, Raleigh County, WV (Age 81 years) |
| Mother |
Cuma Talitha Sanford, b. 15 Apr 1904, Rainelle, Greenbrier County, WV d. 21 Jun 1971, Rainelle, Greenbrier County, WV (Age 67 years) |
| Marriage |
16 Jul 1919 |
Rainelle, Greenbrier County, WV [4] |
| Family ID |
F204 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
| Family |
Audrey Mae Lynn, b. 7 Feb 1931, Fairfield, Rockbridge County, VA d. 1 Apr 2011, Rainelle, Greenbrier County, WV (Age 80 years) |
| Marriage |
4 Nov 1950 |
Elkview, Kanawha County, WV [2, 3] |
| Children |
|
| Family ID |
F235 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
| Last Modified |
14 Dec 2025 |
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| Notes |
- I met Forest shortly after the first trip Diane and I made to Greenbrier in 1999. He was a quiet man, and as I ultimately learned, the perfect foil to his wife Audrey.
At the many Simms reunions we attended together, Forest always seemed to find a circle of family he could chat with. You could see that he understood the importance of the hulabaloo Audrey created with the reunion and he supported her in his indomitable way.
I recall so very fondly Forest insisting that Diane and I come to the house for steaks. It was a gorgeous early fall day as I recall, and the cast was Forest and Audrey, their daughter Sarah and her marvelous husband Denzil, Diane and I and Miss Prudence Piercy.
After a sumptuous lunch, we watched Forest get out his ATV and take Aunt Pru for a ride arund the yard. I then learned how vital the simple things in life are. Family, a solid meal and playtime no matter your age. I am honored to have been with, talked with and shared a meal with Forest.
Michael Pavesi, September 13, 2013
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-
| Sources |
- [S802] Obituary, Simms, Forest Holland, (Beckley Register Herald), 26 Aug 2013 (Reliability: 2).
- [S113] A. Simms to D. Benelli, 17 Aug 1999, 38.
- [S243] Marriage Record: CRANE, Mary Louise & MORTON, John Johnson, 15.
Book 24, Page 28, Year of 1950.
- [S243] Marriage Record: CRANE, Mary Louise & MORTON, John Johnson, 15.
Book 3, Page 266, Year of 1919.
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