Joseph Simmonds

Joseph Drake Simmonds, 74, of Olympia, Washington passed away peacefully at home Wednesday, June 22, 2011. Joe was born in Boston Massachusetts on April 30, 1937 to Louisa M. Lemire, Mother and Rupert Edwards, Father. He was preceded in death by his Step Father William O. Simmonds and his brother Gerald (Jerry) Simmonds.

Joe is survived by his high school sweetheart and wife Carolyn, mother Louisa M. Simmonds, sister Penny Simmonds-Winter (Tom), brother Arnold Simmonds, daughter Carrie Simmonds-Wilson (Jeff), sons Joel D. Simmonds and Jason D. Simmonds. Joe also known as “Papa” is also survived by his grandchildren, Jenna St. John-Black (Matt), Joel St. John, Jared Morlan, Ashley Morlan, Haley Simmonds and Lindsey Simmonds, daughters-in-law Christine and Jennifer Simmonds, and numerous aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews and his sister-in-law Mary Marshall.

Joe enlisted and served honorably for four (4) years in the U.S. Marine Corp. He was a devoted family man who loved to build dollhouses for his granddaughters and enjoyed woodworking after he retired from his twenty three (23) years with the Washington State Department of Revenue. In retirement he also served on the Thurston County Board of Equalization. Joe always considered his co-workers as his second family.

“A man has two names; the one he is born with and the name he makes for himself.”