Jennings “Jay” Simmons passed away at Huntsville Hospital on January 19, 2024, due to complications of a fall while carrying firewood in preparation of the Georgia Bulldogs bowl game. Jay was born on August 26, 1929. He lived an extraordinary life, born as the middle son of three children to father, Sylvester, who never could read or write, and mother, Thersia Vandergriff, who only finished fourth grade. His parents had a total of fourteen children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren out of which twelve received college degrees (Jay was the first), four with advanced degrees. The family moved from their small four room house in Coffee County, Tennessee when he was seven years old to Manchester, Tennessee where Jay played football, baseball, and graduated Coffee County High School. Without guidance, he, like many others of his generation, joined the military, the Air Force, in Jay’s case. He served four years in the Korean War, stationed in Korea. The best thing from his service time was the GI Bill which he used to receive a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Tennessee Tech University. His first job after graduation was with Combustion Engineering in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Additionally, Jay received a Master’s in Nuclear Engineering from the Chattanooga campus of the University of Tennessee. He left Combustion Engineering to work with Douglas Aircraft in Cape Canaveral, Florida during the early stages of the missile era.
During his career, Jay was fortunate to be involved in many important projects including the first Pressurized Water Nuclear Reactor (and he holds a patent for the control rod housing seal), the THOR weapon system, the DELTA launch vehicle, the Safeguard Spartan Anti-Missile System, the Japanese N Rocket, the PAM-D system, the Spacelab and Spacehab Programs. He was responsible for the launch vehicle for the last High Altitude Nuclear test in the Pacific where he was underneath three of these tests.
Jay also had direct interface with several people who helped to define space exploration in the 20th century such as Dr. Werner von Braun, Donald Douglas, Admiral Hyman Rickover (father of the nuclear submarine), Dr. Hideki Shima (designer of the Japanese bullet train and later Director of the Japanese Space Agency).
Away from work, Jay enjoyed traveling, golf, bridge, Sudoku, and restoring Porsche cars. After retirement, Kitty and Jay enjoyed spending extended time in southern France and in the North Carolina mountains. Jay made lasting friendships everywhere he went. He especially valued his Huntsville friends, including time playing bridge, golfing, and beach trips with his buddies. Jay also enjoyed cooking and could make a mean beef bourguignon!
Jay made many decisions in his life; but he said the best was saying “yes” when Kitty Fuller proposed! They were together 39 years and Jay always thought it remarkable that two people from very different backgrounds and sensitivities could have such a loving and happy relationship.
In addition to his wife, Jay is survived by son, Tom Simmons (Dianne); daughter, Amy Giuntini (Mike); granddaughter, Meg Giuntini; and grandson, Chris Giuntini.
Visitation will be held at the Church of the Nativity on Wednesday, January 24th from 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM. There will be a private burial in the family cemetery in Tullahoma, TN.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Church of the Nativity, 208 Eustis Avenue, Huntsville, Alabama 35801.
