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NORWALK, Conn. - John "Johnny" Simmons of Norwalk died Wednesday March 13. He was 93.
Simmons was born in South Norwalk on March 8, 1920. After finishing high school in 1939, he attended an electric motor trade school and worked for the Electric Specialty Co. in Stamford from 1940 until enlisting in the military in 1943.
During World War II, he was a member of the famous 10th Mountain Division (110th Mountain Signal Company), skiing through the North Appennines in Italy as part of the Allied invasion. He received a Bronze Star for his efforts.
Simmons was a U.S. national indoor speedskating champion in the early 1940s. Among his many victories were beating the entire 1940 U.S. Olympic team in a 1942 race in Washington, D.C., and winning the 1943 Silver Skates Race of Champions.
For nearly 40 years after the War, he was a speculative home-builder in Greenwich.
Simmons is survived by his wife, Ellen; five children, Kevin Simmons of Rowayton, Nancy Breakstone of Westport, Gail Simmons of Maui, Eileen Simmons of Nantucket, and Brian Simmons of Newtown; and five grandchildren.
Funeral services will be private.
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