Darwin Harold Simmons

Darwin Harold Simmons

1922 – 2023

Darwin Harold Simmons, beloved husband, father, grandfather, uncle and friend, passed away on January 2, 2023, at the age of 100 years old. He was born in Douglas, Arizona on April 15, 1922, to Okey Dewey (O. D.) Simmons and Christena (Teny) Dunagan Simmons and was the oldest of two boys.

After graduating from high school in Chico, California, Darwin enlisted and served for two years as a pilot in the Army Air Corp. Eventually he, along with his parents and brother, became cattle ranchers and then almond growers in Chico.

While living in Salt Lake City, Darwin met Nina Rae Call when the two of them were set up by mutual friends. They were married on June 15, 1956 in Elko, Nevada, and together they had three daughters. Darwin also had a son from a previous marriage to Shirley Hore and three sons from a previous marriage to Dorothy Yocum.

While Nina was a lifelong member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Darwin was not. Due to the care and example of several sets of home teachers and other members of the church there in Chico, he was eventually converted and baptized in 1969. On July 1, 1970, he and Nina were sealed together for time and all eternity in the Idaho Falls Temple.

Darwin was a talented artist and painted a number of portraits of family members and others including one of David O. McKay that hung in the Rigby, Idaho chapel for many years. He was quite the handyman and could fix anything. He generously used his talents to build amazing sets for the plays that the Chico Stake of the LDS Church put on for the community in the 80s and 90s. He enjoyed hunting and fishing and frequently had a freezer full of venison and small-mouth bass. He was unpretentious and known for his dry, sarcastic sense of humor. Darwin was a “giver, not a taker” and quietly gave to those in need. Many benefitted from his charitable acts of service.

Darwin is survived by his wife, Nina; children Gary (Kim) Simmons, Darwin Jr. “Butch” (Peggy) Simmons, Carl (Vicki) Simmons, Debra (Gary) Pendleton, Robin Wiscombe, and Cyndi (Jeff) Looman. He is also survived by numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren. While all of us who knew and loved him will miss him, we know he has been happily reunited with his parents, O. D. and Teny; his brother, Ed; his son, Gregg; and the many other dear friends and relatives who preceded him.

There will be a private family memorial service to honor Darwin on Saturday, January 21, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. at Warenski Funeral Home, 1776 North 900 East, American Fork, Utah. If you are interested in viewing the service, you may do so at the following link:

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