Ronald Jake Simons' Obituary
Ron. Chief. Big R. Dad. Grandpa. Darling Husband. Baby Brother. Supportive Uncle. Devoted Son. Loyal Friend. Boy Scout. US Army Major. CPA. Tax Master. Stock Guru. Sports Enthusiast. Golfer. Poker King. Entrepreneur. Community Pillar. So many titles, all proudly worn by one extraordinary man. In the quiet of the early morning of Tuesday, November 28, Ron’s earthly journey drew to a close at home in Hendersonville, Tennessee, with him lovingly guided through the veil by his cherished daughter-in-law and angel on earth, Dr. Kristin Simons, MD.
Our Ron was born to the late Jack and Florence Schilleman Simons in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, joining sister, the late Marlene Simons Chikalla, and brother Robert in a sweet, wholesome childhood. His home was filled with family, sports, church choir, chess matches, numbers games, educational pursuits, model trains, and a whole lot of love. Many a family vacation was spent traveling far and wide to fuel the engine of his father’s passion for all things trains. Young Ron developed an abiding love for family and travel, which would serve him well in years to come. Gifted with a keen head for numbers and possessed of a zeal for athletics, Ron’s school days were spent sharpening his analytical mind - setting the stage for what would become a lifelong career that showcased his aptitudes - complemented by quality time spent honing his skills on the basketball court and bowling alley.
Ron was also active in the ROTC program and after high school, he joined the US Army and attained the rank of Major with an artillery and tank battalion. He moved with his growing family to Ft. Carson, Colorado, for his active duty term. After returning to Wisconsin to raise his children, he served in the Army Reserves, spending a total of 18 years in service to this country. Ron attended the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee on the GI Bill, earning his Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting. He worked as a corporate tax accountant and owned and operated several laundromats until returning to UWM to earn a Master’s Degree in Taxation, which he turned into a lasting career as a Certified Public Accountant. Ronald J. Simons, C.P.A., S.C. was born when he took the leap and went into private practice in 1986. After many years dedicated to business and personal clients in Wisconsin and Tennessee - with active involvement in the Rotary Club and other small business and community service-minded organizations - Ron hung up his adding machine tape after tax time of 2020, much to the lament of his decades-long clients, to focus on trading and investments, as well as take a more active role in his family’s restaurant venture: local mainstay favorite, Cafe 393 on Main, in Hendersonville.
Ron enjoyed a rich, full life outside of work, and was the leading man in an epic love story to rival that of The Phantom and Christine (/and/ Raoul and Christine!). This one began in the late ‘80s, culminating in 32 years of wedded bliss and adventure with his leading lady, Nadine Gnyp Simons, steadfastly by his side. They united their young families into one big, beautiful clan that enjoyed warm holiday gatherings, road trips (with the Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables soundtracks blaring on repeat), college visits, family cruises, and trips abroad. As the kids got older and ceded the spotlight to the grands, Ron took great pleasure in supporting the next generation at high school and college tailgates and games, rooting on the grandkids’ teams at Macalester & Carleton Colleges, University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, and University of Minnesota. A bigger Green Bay Packers and Wisconsin Badgers fan you’ll never find, and in his spectator heyday, you’d catch Ron on Saturdays and Sundays with multiple TVs broadcasting games so he didn’t miss a minute with his teams.
Ron and his beloved Nadine seized an opportunity in 1997 and made the jump from Milwaukee to Nashville to found a water treatment enterprise, InnoTech, LLC, while continuing to maintain their flourishing CPA practice. They enjoyed many fruitful years on the cutting edge of providing clean water technology to businesses and homes, which continues on under the leadership of their son Scott. Once the nest was truly empty, they had more time to take in theater productions and shows of all kinds. As patrons of Milwaukee’s and Nashville’s theater and music scenes, they peppered in trips to Chicago, New York, and Las Vegas to catch bigger stagings. His dedication ran deep, and they saw what would become his favorite play - The Phantom of the Opera - no less than 7 times in 4 different cities. Let’s not even talk about when the movie came out in 2004! Suffice it to say that Ron’s entire family fondly rolls their eyes at the mention of that DVD. Ron and Nadine were also frequent concert fliers, supporting musicians and music of every kind, from arenas and symphony halls, to small, intimate lounge acts. Ron was known for his sprawling musical tastes, which ran the gamut from Tchaikovsky to Fleetwood Mac to Mannheim Steamroller to Celine Dion to Barry Manilow, with lots of points between. Just ask his kids about those “musical whiplash” road trips, with the CD changer loaded with the most eclectic of musical mixes.
Nadine not only got Ron hooked on live shows and theater, she showed him the world. Together, they felt many different soils and sands beneath their feet - by land, air, and sea - with cruising being their favorite mode of travel. The formal nights were Ron’s favorites, with Nadine dressed to the nines, him resplendent in black tie, and his signature luxuriant silver pomp riding as high as his spirits on the open seas. Other favorite pastimes included casino pilgrimages, complete with stops at every Culver’s along the way. IYKYK. Our esteemed “Cookie Monster” had a legendary sweet tooth that rivaled Willy Wonka’s, and Nadine, Kristin, Barb, and the rest of his crack baking team always kept his supply of chocolate chip cookies in the black.
Our blue-eyed math phenom was a quiet, pensive soul that exuded a soft-spoken intelligence, with the kindest, most gentle and giving nature to match. He truly embodied the phrase “still waters run deep.” His active mind could find him devouring numbers challenges, racking up Scrabble points, working out stock trends, reading Poe to his children, devising March Madness brackets, and organizing poker tournaments in his spare time.
Ron was never to be found without a crisp, ironed handkerchief in his pocket. The ‘80s and ‘90s often saw him clad in bright golf attire, as he could frequently be found on the links that he loved so much, working on his backswing when he wasn’t neck deep in 1040s. He hit the course with the kids, Nadine, friends, and clients for many, many years, all over the country, but his favorite golf experience was a dedicated trip to the Emerald Isle with his son Todd. They drove their way across Ireland, with perhaps a little Irish whiskey pilgrimage or two thrown in for good measure. Famous for his dry, deadpan Bob Newhart-esque sense of humor, as well as being the undisputed ad-libbed speech champion, he could also be heard singing loudest and proudest in his lush baritone from the front pew on Sundays, belting out every hymn like no one was watching, much to the chagrin of his kids when they were young.
In addition to his wife Nadine and brother Robert (Diana) Simons, the legacy that Ron leaves continues to weave such a beautiful tapestry - as colorful and textured as the life he lived - through his children, Todd (Dr. Kristin) Simons, Scott (Angela) Simons & Tracy (Michael) Tonn, bonus children, Tanya (Christopher) McPherson & Alexander (Alicia) Krumenacher, and treasured grandchildren, Jacob (Brooke), Gabrielle, Isaac & Lydia Simons, Morgan Simons, and Mariah, Chloe, Ethan & Eden Tonn. Bonus grands, Bella & Jack McPherson, and Silas, Layla & Harrison Krumenacher round out the current roster of the keepers of the Simons flame. Glimmers of Ron can be seen in all of them, from the brilliant finance gurus, to the star athletes and sports aficionados, to the skilled vocalists, to the legion of beautiful servant’s hearts of pure gold. Ron also leaves a support crew of in-laws, nieces, nephews, and friends. In the last 6 months of his life, we brought a caretaker into our home to lend an extra set of helping hands for Ron, and we extend our eternal gratitude to Ms. Sherrill Spradlin, who became known as “Ron’s other wife”. Thank you, Sherrill, for your tender loving kindness.
On Sunday, December 10th and Monday, December 11th, we will raise our voices and lift our broken hearts to honor this gentle soul that loved and lived to the fullest, even when the cruelty of Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia threatened to steal him away over this past year. Through it all, he still maintained a smile and never said no to a hug, a kiss, a kind word, or a warm, home-baked cookie, because all of these things were home to him. His North Stars that could always be seen, even through the thickening fog of the disease. Alzheimer’s and dementia could never rob him of the pure love in his heart. So let’s shoot some hoops. Don your best red and white to cheer on the Badgers this Saturday. Put on the Packer game and share snacks and green and gold time with your favorites this Sunday. Bowl a few frames. Play a spirited round of Texas Hold ‘Em (complete with polite wagers, of course). Queue up Phantom, if you dare. Or blast some Cher. Take someone to a concert. Go see a musical. Support a local restaurant. Tune in to the Squawk Box and listen for the opening bell. Turn on a golf tournament and marvel at how Ron could spend hours gleefully watching golf on TV. Do something kind for no reason. Then hail to The Chief by raising an ooey, gooey right-out-of-the oven cookie to a man who continues to touch so many lives. Please hold his adoring wife, kids, grandkids, and friends close to your heart as they navigate their grief and embrace Ron’s everlasting memory. Parting words from another of Ron’s favorite Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals, Aspects of Love: “Love changes everything: how you live, and how you die…” The way Ron Simons spent his time on earth - and the way he took his leave of it - is proof positive of the immense power of love and human kindness.
The family cordially invites friends and relations to join them for a time of visitation on Sunday, December 10th, 2023, from 3:00 - 7:00 PM at Spring Hill Funeral Home in Nashville. A short visitation will take place the following day, Monday, December 11th, at Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church in Hendersonville, from 10:45 AM until the funeral mass begins at 11:30 AM. Those that would like to attend the entombment at Historic Spring Hill Cemetery can follow the family in a procession directly after the mass concludes, with a reception afterward at Trattoria La Caverna, 750 W. Main St., Hendersonville, to gather, recollect, reminisce, and raise a Crown and Coke to our Ronnie.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Ron's name to The Veranda Ministries, 650 Nashville Pike Suite 7A, Gallatin, TN 37066. The work that they do to enrich the lives of people suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia - and their families - is second to none.
Final arrangements for Mr. Simons are entrusted to Spring Hill Funeral Home and Cemetery, "Where Nashville Comes to Remember."
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