James “Ronnie” Simmons, long-time resident of Christiansburg, died Sept. 9, 2024 at the age of 80.
Ronnie is survived by the love of his life for 60 years, Barbara Simmons. He is also survived by his sons Jason Simmons and Kevin Simmons; his daughter Kristen Bruzzese; his son-in-law Vincent Bruzzese; and the light of his life, his grandson Sebastian.
Ronnie spent the majority of his career at the Radford Army Ammunition Plant, and after retirement was a bus driver for the Montgomery County school system driving children to sporting events and field trips.
Ronnie was a generous man, giving of his time to the children of the community. He was a coach to many in Christiansburg, and later stayed connected to youth sports through refereeing and umpiring. He taught his children, and those he coached, that hard work and perseverance would pay off, both on and off the field.
One of the most important things Ronnie taught his own children was how to be a good friend. How to truly be there for another person, someone they could depend on. He treated his friends like family and was always there to help in their time of need. He would give the shirt off of his back if he felt someone needed it more than he did.
Ronnie lived a full and loving life. On any given weekend, you could find him at a car show, talking shop and showing off his Corvette or sitting in his recliner with a big bowl of ice cream watching an episode of Gunsmoke.
Receiving of family and friends was Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024 at the McCoy Funeral Home in Blacksburg, VA. A small, private burial followed Friday, Sept. 13, 2024.
