Raymond Blackwood Simmons

Mr. Raymond Blackwood "Ray" Simmons, Jr., age 63, of 404 Helen Street, Kannapolis, died Friday December 19, 2008 at CMC-University, following a lengthy illness. Funeral services for Mr. Simmons will be conducted at 2 p.m. Tuesday, December 23, 2008 at Trinity Lutheran Church, Landis. The Rev. Jarrod Lanning will officiate. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends at the church from 12:15 until 1:45 p.m. Tuesday prior to the service. At other times, the family will be at the home of his son Bill and his wife, Melissa, 6698 Gold Hill Road, Concord, NC. Ray was born in Spartanburg, SC on September 17, 1945, a son of the late Raymond B. Simmons Sr. and Minnie Lee Simmons Johnson. He was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Landis, and formerly worked at Piedmont Residential Development Corp. and Transitional Health Services. As a part of his love for life, he had a passion for books, history, reading, fishing and telling old stories to his grandchildren. Survivors include his wife of 40 years, Judie Beaver Simmons; a son William Lee "Bill" Simmons and wife Melissa of Concord; a daughter, Christina Simmons and her fianc Eric Blount of Gresham, Oregon; four grandchildren, Leigh-Ann Measamer, Brittany Alexis Simmons, Brock William Simmons and Brant Lee Simmons; and one brother Richard Simmons of Georgia. Memorials should be directed to the Simmons family, 404 Helen Street, Kannapolis, NC 28083.