Aubrey Lee Simmons II's Obituary
Normal0falsefalsefalseEN-USX-NONEX-NONE/* Style Definitions */table.MsoNormalTable{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;mso-style-noshow:yes;mso-style-priority:99;mso-style-parent:"";mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;mso-para-margin-top:0in;mso-para-margin-right:0in;mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;mso-para-margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;mso-pagination:widow-orphan;font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}Staying Close to HomeAubrey Lee Simmons II, was referred to as “Buddy” by all who knew him. Buddy was born in Davidson County, Tennessee, on December 9, 1957 to Louis and Billie Ruth Simmons. He spent most of his youth being raised and schooled in the city of Madison, where he met his wife of 13 years and the mother of his children. Work took Buddy to California for a couple of years, but he returned to his birth state, and remained close to home in Madison, Hermitage and Clarksville. Lover of FoodHis family joked that Buddy could eat a lot, but he always stayed lean. He loved his daughter-in-law’s cooking, leftovers, Lays potato chips, ice cream, and strawberry granola bars. When questioned “where he put it all”, family suggested that it all went to his big feet or hid in the space created by his high-placed ball cap, also a trademark for Buddy. The Handyman CanBuddy was a skilled carpenter. His craftsmanship touched the lives of all those around him; evidence of his work appeared in the homes of his family members, projects for himself, and in competitive works for the Scouts. According to his children, anytime anyone needed anything done, Buddy would do it. Whether it be painting, floors or a creative outdoor arbor, anything could and would be accomplished. Among Buddy’s projects included an Award Winning outhouse for the Scout troop, complete with leather hinges, a crescent moon window and a Klondike Derby Sled; the troop won first place. Children – His Proudest ProjectBuddy’s proudest creations were his children. Buddy married his high school friend and Exxon co-worker in 1979. He stubbornly refused to marry until he had a vehicle and enough money for a down payment on a house. Once settled, family became his entire focus after becoming a father to son William and daughter Sarah. For Buddy, it didn’t matter what was going on in his life or how bad he felt, he would always be there for his family. His daughter-in-law, Christy, recalled a time when she had plans to paint her new home but broke her ankle prior to starting. Despite an obvious dislike for the color of the paint, Buddy, without hesitation, painted the basecoat, main coat and top coat, completing Christy’s hopeful plans. Beyond BusinessBuddy enjoyed many other activities, like darts, which he played with his second wife after their marriage in the mid-1990s. He was an avid fan of car racing, known for collecting his own race car memorabilia and yelling consistently at the drivers while watching them compete on television. He worked on his own vehicles but his mechanical expertise lacked the same skill as his carpentry, and the recollection of his handy work on cars brought about laughter from his family. He loved time spent with his grandchildren and enjoyed music, the rock and roll of the 70s and country tunes to which he line-danced. A Working LegacyAccording to his son, what made Buddy stand apart from others was his laid-back attitude, quickness to laugh and work ethic. To his family, he passed on the importance of patience, dependability and an illustration of love and care. Buddy passed away on July 16, 2012. He is preceded in death by his mother by 8 years; a loss that he experienced deeply. He is survived by his children, William (Christy) Simmons and Sarah (Ricky) Elrod; brother, Michael Simmons; sisters, Dianne (Jim) Knight and Elaine (Claude) McGinnis and his grandchildren, Andrew, Patrick, Edward, Tyler and Riley.
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