Rodney (Rod) Lewis Simms, Jr age 78, departed this life on Saturday, November 26, 2016 in Fort Smith, AR. He was the husband of Daisy (Loudermilk) Simms. They shared 60 years of marital bliss together. Rod was born in Beckley, West Virginia on April 2, 1938. He was the son of Rodney Simms Sr. and Violet Simms. He was a Methodist by faith.

During his college years, Rod attended West Virginia University and graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering. Rod’s engineering profession began at A.E. Staley MFG Company where he was employed for 17 years. He was instrumental in overseeing the research and development of the first totally computerized Corn Plant in the world. Rod’s reputation for implementing new technology in manufacturing plants led to an appointment of Vice President of Process and Equipment Technology of RJR Nabisco in 1984. Following RJR Nabisco, Rod became President of Graseby STI and after just 3 years he formed his own consulting company, Technology, Inc. In 2002, Rod was inducted into the West Virginia University Hall of Fame. He also enjoyed many years of refereeing High School football (40 years), High School basketball (25 years) and Div 1 College football for the Big 10 Conference (4 years).

As Valedictorian of Cowen High School in 1956, Rodney enjoyed helping his wife Daisy gather his classmates together for their annual high school reunion at Camp Caesar. Being with his classmates at Camp Caesar, Rodney always felt as if he was home.

Rod is survived in life by his wife Daisy, brothers William Simms of Tennessee and Pat Simms of Virginia, daughters Chris Simms of Little Rock, AR, and Kimberly (Matthew) Singer of Fort Smith, AR, granddaughter Kaci Singer of Fort Smith, AR and grandson Trae Simms of Little Rock, AR, and Best Friend ‘Ammo’ of the home. He is preceded in death by his mother and father Violet and Rodney Sr of Camden-on-Gauley, West Virginia.

Services will be held on Friday, December, 2 2016 at 11:00am at Morris Funeral Home, Cowen. Friends may call from 10:00am until time of service at the funeral home. Burial will follow at Black’s Chapel Cemetery, Camden-on-Gauley, WV. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Camp Caesar, PO Box 428, Cowen, WV 26206.

Services are entrusted to the care of Morris Funeral Home, Cowen, WV. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.morrisfuneralhomecowenwv.com