David Garen Simmons of Baldwin, Georgia, died peacefully on May 7, 2025, at the age of 85. Born in Glendale, West Virginia, on November 21, 1939, he was raised on his family’s dairy farm on Robert’s Ridge in Marshall County, West Virginia. Garen learned the value of hard work at an early age, alongside his older brother, Bobby. He spent his early years working on the farm and delivering bottled milk on a rural dairy delivery route.
His formal education began in a one-room schoolhouse and concluded in the graduate program of the History Department at West Virginia University. However, his love for learning didn’t end there. He is known for his dedication to Piedmont College, where he spent 40 years as a respected history professor from 1971 to 2011. Between 1981 and 1990, he served as vice president and president of the college, but teaching was always his love. Even for the decade he worked in administration, he continued to teach at least one course of history each term.
Garen was an intellectual and a scholar in every sense of the word. He once said, “Education, like travel, should broaden one’s vision, appreciation, and interests. It should liberate one from ignorance and superstition and enable one to be informed and to think and imagine for oneself.” His contributions to education even transcend his earthly life. In the hopes of helping to advance the understanding of Parkinson’s Disease and medicine in general, Garen chose to donate his body to science through the Medical College of Georgia.
In addition to his scholarly work, Garen served as a Captain in the United States Army for five years in the mid-1960s. His two active duty assignments as a Military Policeman took him, his wife, Kay, and their young family to Fort Richardson, Alaska, and Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. He was awarded medals for merit for each assignment.
Garen found joy in a variety of music from jazz to bluegrass. He even dabbled in playing banjo and guitar. He enjoyed watching and listening to his favorite news stations, he enjoyed a good conversation, and he mostly enjoyed the company of his dear friends, his children, and his grandchildren who lovingly referred to him as “Papa.”
Garen had a rare gift for giving sage advice. Those who knew him will remember him for his quick wit and his wise one-liners. These often came from his favorite philosophers and historians. He was especially a student of Voltaire, who said, among many things, “God gave us the gift of life; it is up to us to give ourselves the gift of living well.”
Garen’s was certainly a life well-lived. With purpose and intention, he always put more into the world than he took out. He will be remembered for the profound impact he had on his family, friends, countless history students, his colleagues and all those who had the pleasure of knowing him.
Garen is preceded in death by his parents, Robert (“Bob”) and Helen (Neehouse) Simmons of Glendale, WV, father and mother-in-law Bernard and Alberta (Poole) McGilton of Moundsville, WV, his loving wife Kay (McGilton) Simmons of Baldwin, GA, brother and sister-in-law Robert (“Bobby”) and Carol Simmons of Wadsworth, OH, and brothers-in-law Bernard C. McGilton, Jr (Bernie) of Moundsville, WV, and Gary Lutes of St. Clairsville, OH.
He is survived by daughter, Alicia Simpson of Clarkesville, GA, son, Bradley Garen Simmons (Jessica) of Mt. Airy, GA, daughter, Darcy Simmons Hicks (Eric) of Clarkesville, GA, as well as by his grandchildren, Zach Coley, Leah Thomas (Stephen), Jake Hicks (Taylor), Tucker Hicks, Carter Hicks, and Jackson Garen Simmons. He is also survived by his great-grandson Silas Thomas and numerous beloved nieces and nephews. Additional survivors include brothers-in-law, Mark McGilton of Pittsburgh, PA, Kevin McGilton (Terry) of Navarre, FL, and sisters-in-law, Kathy McGilton (Bernie) of Moundsville, WV, and Joyce Lutes (Gary) of St. Clairsville, OH.
The family will hold a private memorial service at a later date, and would like to thank Magnolia Hills Assisted Living in Demorest and Pruitt Hospice for the exceptional care they gave to Garen at the end. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Parkinson’s Foundation.
An online guestbook is available for the family at HillsideMemorialChapel.com.
Arrangements are in the care and professional direction of Hillside Memorial Chapel, Clarkesville, Georgia.
