Keith E. Simmons

Keith E. Simmons, 94, of Orono, Maine, died peacefully at Maine Veterans’ Home in Bangor on Thursday March 28th, 2024.

He was born on October 13th, 1929 in Roseland, Indiana to M. Glen and Maude Simmons. He was the second of four sons, eventually attending Riley High School in South Bend, graduating in 1947.

He married his beloved wife – Joan Tobolski – on January 1, 1951 in Holy Cross Church and enjoyed 64 years with her until she passed away in 2015. 

Keith served with the U.S. Army during the Korean War as a military policeman and later joined the Army reserves as a Master Sergeant in a self-propelled artillery unit.  After his honorable discharge in 1953, he began working at PPG Industries as a glass salesman, completed an associate degree in business management along the way and earned his place in the executive ranks at PPG as a Zone Manager in charge of the greater Midwest region.

He lived in Palatine, Illinois until the death of his wife in 2015, moved to Covington, Kentucky and eventually to Orono, Maine in 2020, where he lived at Dirigo Pines retirement community until his death.

One of Keith’s greatest passions was flying; he earned his private pilot’s license in 1979 and enjoyed nearly 1000 hours in his own plane, a 1969 Piper Cherokee.

Keith is survived by his two sons, Mark Simmons (Margaret) of Troy, Maine and Craig Simmons (Anne Francis), of Lake Forest Park, Washington; four granddaughters, two great-grandchildren, and his son-in-law. Keith was preceded in death by his wife, Joan; daughter, Gayle Horan (Kenneth); and by his 3 brothers, Junior, Robert and Richard. 

A Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 10:30 AM., Friday, April 12, 2024 at Holy Cross Church. Visitation will take place from 10:00–10:30 AM in the church with a burial following the service at Highland Cemetery. Funeral Services provided by Kaniewski and Sons Funeral Home (3445 N. Bendix Dr, South Bend, IN 46628).

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