James Simmons

Elon--- James Doake Jim Simmons, 65, of 3813 Stoney Creek Church Road, Elon, went to be with his Lord and Savior July 11, 2011, at the Hospice Home, Burlington NC. Jim was born on September 28, 1945. He was married to his loving wife, Joyce for 46 years. He was a member of Bethlehem Christian Church since 1964, where he served many positions. Jim was ordained as Deacon in 1980 and served on the Deacon Board, Trustee Board, Church Council, Chairman of Laymen's Fellowship, Asst. Secretary and Secretary of the Sunday School Department and the Usher Board, where he served over 40 years, including Asst. Chairman and Chairman of the Board for over 20 years. Jim had a diverse background of employment throughout his life. He was a Delivery Salesman for L.W. Pritchett Oil Company for 12 years, a Charter Bus Driver with Safety Transit Bus Company and an Auditor/Inspector in the Quality Engineering Department with Amp/Tyco Electronics, where he retired after 29 years of service. Jim loved his friends, family and community, and demonstrated this in his involvement with several organizations. He was a Volunteer Fireman with the Altamahaw-Ossipee Fire Department for 14 years and received the Fireman of the Year Award for Alamance County in 1972. He worked as a Security Guard for the Alamance County Hospital, helped to establish the Community Watch Program for his neighborhood and served as a Cub Pack Den Leader with the Boy Scouts of America. Surviving are his wife, Joyce Whitesell Simmons, of the home; two sons, Danny Ray Simmons and his wife, Michele, of Graham, David Wayne Simmons and his wife, Lisa, of Elon; six grandchildren, Hunter Simmons, Meredith Simmons, Nolan Simmons, Kendall Simmons, Landon Simmons and Griffin Simmons; one sister, Gray Simmons Cole and husband Johnny. He was preceded in death by his parents, Raleigh Doak Simmons and Frances Gwynn Simmons and Father-in-Law, Brice Rankin Whitesell and Mother-in-Law, Annie Mae Somers Whitesell. The funeral will be held at 3 p.m. Friday, July 15, 2011 at Bethlehem Christian Church, officiated by Rev. Dave Gilbert and Rev. James Baughn. The family will receive friends from 6-9 p.m. Thursday, July 14, 2011 at Lowe Funeral Home and Crematory, Burlington, and at other times at the home. Following the committal service, the family will receive friends in the Bethlehem Christian Church Fellowship Hall. The family wishes to thank Dr. Timothy Finnegan and Dr. Glenn Chrystal, along with the staff at Alamance Regional Medical Center-Cancer Center; Hospice of Alamance, including: Karen Robertson, Lori Welch and Tina Wrenn. Memorials may be given in memory to the Old North State Council, Boy Scouts of America, P.O. Box 29046, Greensboro, NC, 27429 or to Bethlehem Christian Church Cemetery Fund, c/o Mr. Eric Kernodle, 3540 North NC 87, Elon, NC, 27244 or to Hospice and Palliative Care of Alamance-Caswell, 914 Chapel Hill Road, Burlington, NC, 27215.