Jorge Enrique Simmons

Born in Resistencia, Argentina. Jorge emigrated to the United States with his wife, Ligia and children in 1965. With degrees in Optical Physics, he had previously studied in the U.S. at the University of Rochester and at Stanford University. While at Stanford, he was offered a position and immigration sponsorship by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (now NOAO). He worked at NOAO as an Optical Designer until his retirement in the mid 1990's. He was involved in making the mirrors for the 84" telescope and the Mayall telescope at Kitt Peak observatory. Instruments he designed are still in use at Kitt Peak and other observatories around the world. He spoke Spanish, Italian, English, and French, and taught himself to read German and Russian to better be able to keep up with optics journals around the world. He was an accomplished soaring plane pilot and loved the peace and quiet that soaring provided. He also loved poetry and believed that it helped us understand our place in the vast universe. He was pre-deceased by his wife, Ligia and brother, Eduardo Simmons. He is survived by his daughter, Nora Ligia Simmons (Deborah) and son, Jorge Eduardo Simmons (Rebecca). Visitation, Sunday, February 3, 2013, 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. at EAST LAWN PALMS MORTUARY, 5801 E. Grant Rd., Tucson, AZ with a Holy Rosary at 2:00 p.m. Funeral Mass, Monday, February 4, 2013, 10:00 a.m. at Our Mother of Sorrows Catholic Church, 1800 S. Kolb Rd., Tucson, AZ followed immediately by procession to East Lawn Cemetery for burial service. If you would like to honor his memory, the family suggests a donation to the American Parkinson's Disease Association Arizona, http://apdaarizona.org.