Obituary for Jerome Simmons, Sr.
Jerome Simmons, Sr was born June 26, 1949, in Charleston, SC to the late Lillian Simmons Hunter.
After receiving his high school diploma from Burke High School in 1968, he went to Talladega College, a historically black college in Alabama. At Talladega, Jerome pledged Alpha Phi Alpha, Fraternity, received his bachelor’s degree in psychology, minored in math, and graduated with the class of 1972. That same year, Jerome married Jeannette Singleton Simmons; then went on to work for South Carolina Electric & Gas Company. He later worked for Southern Bell Phone Company in Spartanburg, SC in 1979. In the 1980’s, Jerome accepted Christ in his life, and became a deacon and full-time employee of Bible Way Church of Atlas Road in Columbia, SC. In 1987, Jerome moved his family back to his hometown of Charleston, joined Upcoming Ministries of Jesus Christ, and began working for the Charleston Naval Shipyard as an engineer. Jerome received his Master’s degree in Human Resources in 1996 from Webster University. He also attended The Lord’s Church, and later pastored their Orangeburg, SC location in 1999; all while working at Claflin University as a Financial Aid Advisor. Jerome retired in 2008 at the Social Security Administration, and at Pitt Community College in Greenville, NC, where he worked as an adjunct professor teaching mathematics.
Jerome was preceded in death by his mother (Lillian Simmons Hunter) and his siblings (Shirley Booker, Loretta Badger, Jerry Hunter, and Ruth Dixon).
He leaves to cherish his memories: his children, Jerome Simmons, Jr. of DeRidder, LA, Dustin Simmons of Charleston, SC, Kimberly Alston (Jermaine Alston) of Greenville, NC, and Ivey Warren (Justin Warren) of Bowie, MD; his brothers, Castello Smith of Bronx, NY, and Nathaniel Hunter of Atlanta, GA; a host of grandchildren, one great grandchild, and many nieces and nephews.
After receiving his high school diploma from Burke High School in 1968, he went to Talladega College, a historically black college in Alabama. At Talladega, Jerome pledged Alpha Phi Alpha, Fraternity, received his bachelor’s degree in psychology, minored in math, and graduated with the class of 1972. That same year, Jerome married Jeannette Singleton Simmons; then went on to work for South Carolina Electric & Gas Company. He later worked for Southern Bell Phone Company in Spartanburg, SC in 1979. In the 1980’s, Jerome accepted Christ in his life, and became a deacon and full-time employee of Bible Way Church of Atlas Road in Columbia, SC. In 1987, Jerome moved his family back to his hometown of Charleston, joined Upcoming Ministries of Jesus Christ, and began working for the Charleston Naval Shipyard as an engineer. Jerome received his Master’s degree in Human Resources in 1996 from Webster University. He also attended The Lord’s Church, and later pastored their Orangeburg, SC location in 1999; all while working at Claflin University as a Financial Aid Advisor. Jerome retired in 2008 at the Social Security Administration, and at Pitt Community College in Greenville, NC, where he worked as an adjunct professor teaching mathematics.
Jerome was preceded in death by his mother (Lillian Simmons Hunter) and his siblings (Shirley Booker, Loretta Badger, Jerry Hunter, and Ruth Dixon).
He leaves to cherish his memories: his children, Jerome Simmons, Jr. of DeRidder, LA, Dustin Simmons of Charleston, SC, Kimberly Alston (Jermaine Alston) of Greenville, NC, and Ivey Warren (Justin Warren) of Bowie, MD; his brothers, Castello Smith of Bronx, NY, and Nathaniel Hunter of Atlanta, GA; a host of grandchildren, one great grandchild, and many nieces and nephews.