Milton J. Simons

Milton Joseph Simons passed away in his sleep on Tuesday morning, April 12, 2016, in St. Louis, MO. He was 99 years old, but you never would have known it. Until the morning he passed, he was in good health for his age, active, and always high-spirited.

Milton was born in Brooklyn, New York, on March 16, 1917, and moved to Austin on New Year’s Day 1940, where he lived for the next 68 years, before moving in 2015 to St. Louis. In 1936 he met the love of his life, Cecilia (Ceil) Novy, at her Sweet Sixteen party in Brooklyn. He was her “Milty,” and on February 21, 1940, they married, spending the next 67 years together before she passed away in 2008, at the age of 88.

Milton was a World War II veteran and a lifetime Mason. He worked as the CPA for Austin Metal & Iron from 1947 until he retired, at age 80, in 1997. He was active in his synagogue, Congregation Agudas Achim since 1947, serving in many leadership roles, including President of the congregation when the synagogue was dedicated by the then newly sworn in President of the United States, Lyndon Baines Johnson.

When you live for 99 years, you have a lot of great stories and experiences to share, and Milton was certainly a gifted storyteller! He enjoyed traveling with his wife, with family, and friends. Milton deeply loved his entire family and felt blessed by the good fortunes of his life. Those who knew him appreciated his realism, his genuineness, his warmth, kindness, generosity, and humor. He was loved and respected. He was by all measure, “a good man.”

Milton was predeceased by his wife, Ceil Simons, and is survived by his three children, Dr. Paul Simons and his wife Pat of St. Louis; Laurey Karotkin and her husband Ralph of Hurst, Texas; and Marcia Hovious and her husband Dr. Brad Hovious of Houston. Milton had seven grandchildren, Dr. Dan Simons and his wife Cathy Richards; David Simons and his wife Constance; Kim Olstrup and her husband, Hasse; Jay Karotkin and his wife Melissa; Bill Karotkin; Greg Cohen and his wife Mary; and Hally Cohen. He was also blessed with 13 great grandchildren. Pallbearers will be Milton’s grandchildren, Dan Simons, Jay Karotkin, Bill Karotkin, Greg Cohen, Kim Olstrup and Hally Cohen.

Graveside funeral and burial services will be held at Noon on Thursday, April 14, in Austin Memorial Park at 2800 Hancock Drive. Rabbi David Komerofsky (of San Antonio) will officiate. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Milton’s loving memory to the Claire Seriff Fund, which offers scholarships and enrichment to religious school students at Congregation Agudas Achim, 7300 Hart Lane, Austin, TX 78731 (www.caa-austin.org).