Jack Bernette Simmons

OBITUARY: On July 19, 1927, Jack Bernette Simmons was born in San Ysidro, California. His Mother, Naomi, was attended by a Veterinarian instead of a midwife or medical doctor at her son’s birth and that was the beginning of a life of “I did it my way”. In his later years, he reminisced with his eldest daughter, Deb, that she promises to play “My Way”, (a song popularized in 1969 by Frank Sinatra), at his funeral.

Jack’s Father, Bernette “Barney” Alred Simmons worked as a custodian. Jack’s paternal grandfather was Burnett Simmons and his grandmother was Agnes Cecelia Alred Simmons which gave him Irish and Scottish heritage. Every generation of “Simmons” backwards to 1840 had one child who carried the name “Burnett – Bernett - Bernette – Bernetta”.

Jack’s Mother, Minnie Naomi Watson, was of French, English, and Native American heritage, and her lineage gave Jack a connection to a MAYFLOWER descendent, George Soule. Naomi also connected him to “THE BLIND POET” named Jean Simon Chaudron who in his youth was a silversmith and crafted a mourning ring for George Washington plus wrote a funeral oration on Brother George Washington, delivered before the French lodge l’AMENITE.

Naomi and Barney divorced when Jack was a young boy and both remarried. Naomi to L.A. “Chick” Mathiot, the local sheriff in the Mountain Empire District east of San Diego and Barney to Jeanette. Barney had another son in 1947. Barney died of lung cancer in 1954.

Naomi worked as a waitress in Jacumba, CA and Jack enjoyed a carefree childhood of roaming the large rocky precipices surrounding the small resort town, exploring open spaces, the local hot springs, and target shooting. He sought to graduate early from the class of 1945 at Mountain Empire High School so he could enter the US ARMY AIR CORPS Enlisted Reserve. He was a PRIVATE and was made a Platoon Leader serving stateside in Utah. Upon his Honorable discharge on May 17, 1945, he joined the US NAVY as a FIREMAN FIRST CLASS and served in Orange, Texas decommissioning ships until he was presented with another Honorable Discharge on August 3, 1946.

Jack had a pleasant singing voice, played the harmonica, was self-taught on the banjo, had an engineer’s mind and paid attention to detail with everything. He also was artistically talented for drawing. Jack had a partiality for all things John Wayne “The Duke”. He worked as a lineman in Imperial County for the phone company during the day and had a second job loading and unloading rocket crates for the Naval Air Facility in El Centro. Upon relocating to El Cajon, he was employed as an engineer by Pacific Bell Telephone Company in La Mesa.

Jack loved his family and he was beloved by them. He is predeceased by two wives and one grandson.

SURVIVORS: Five Adult Children, his Brother, his Sweetheart, Seven Grandchildren, Twenty Great-Grandchildren: Two Great-great grandchildren, Two Sisters-in-Law, many Nephews, Nieces, Cousins and Friends.

SERVICES: On Wednesday, August 16, 2017 from 3PM to 7PM a viewing for Family and Friends will take place at Paris Frederick Dignity (El Cajon Mortuary) 678 South Mollison, El Cajon 92020.

On Saturday, August 26th at 1PM, a Roman Catholic priest, Father Charles Eis, will preside at the Graveside Blessing and Internment of Jack’s cremains. This will be at Holy Cross Cemetery-St Michael’s section - located at 4470 Hilltop Drive, San Diego 92102. Immediately following, family and friends are invited to a Celebration of Jack’s Life at Marie Callender’s Restaurant Garden Room located (near 70th Street and Interstate 8) at 6950 Alvarado Road, San Diego, CA 92120.