Charles Ervin Simmons

San Angelo resident, Charles Ervin Simmons, 81, passed away October 27, 2021. Charles was born April 17, 1940, in Pampa, Texas. He was the son of Johnnie Andrew and Leola Ervin Simmons. He had four siblings, Glenda Abston, George Simmons, Terry Simmons and Sharon Miles.

Charles grew up in Vernon, Texas, graduating from Vernon High School in 1958. Gregarious, funny and athletic, Charles had many friends and was voted Class Favorite his senior year. He was also hardworking and always had some sort of job – from washing windows as a boy to being a soda jerk and working at a service station as a teen. After high school, he headed to Cameron College in Oklahoma where he was a trainer on their basketball team. After that, in November 1960, Charles enlisted in the United States Navy and the following February he was voted Honorman of his recruitment class at the US Naval Training Center in San Diego. He served as an Airman at the US Naval Air Station in Corpus Christi Texas.

After being honorably discharged from the Navy, Charles attended and graduated from the University of Houston. He spent his most of his professional career in computer technology and ended up starting his own business. Charles was married twice, once to Mary Evelynn Sorrell, with whom he had two children, Tiffany Simmons Smith and Troy Simmons, and then later to Gail Ann Denny.

Charles was a man of many interests and talents, including flying airplanes, hunting, fishing, studying Texas history, writing, numismatics, car and motorbike repair, music, drawing and sketching, sports (he was an avid Houston Cougar and Astros fan), RV travel, working in the yard and especially spending time with family. Charles had a huge heart and family was of utmost importance to him. He loved nothing more than being with his wife, siblings, children and grandchildren. They meant the world to him, and he meant the world to them.

Charles is survived by his wife, Gail, sister, Sharon Miles, children, Tiffany Smith and Troy Simmons, stepsons, TJ Palguta, Stephen Palguta, David Palguta and Joey Palguta, son-in-law Michael Smith, daughters-in-law, Manda Simmons, Leza Palguta and Tiffany Palguta, grandchildren, Alec Smith, Marissa Smith, Nathan Smith, Megan Simmons, Trent Simmons, Riley Palguta, Wyatt Palguta, Cade Palguta and Anthony Palguta, brothers-in-law Don Abston and Mike Miles, nieces Karen West, Kathy Spears, Marcie Cook, and nephew Tracy Simmons. The family requests that any donations in honor of Charles E. Simmons be made to Folds of Honor.

A memorial service will be held at 4 PM, Tuesday, November 2, 2021 in Johnson's Funeral Home Chapel. Family will receive friends at 3:30 before the memorial service begins.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.johnsons-funeralhome.com for the Simmons family.