Albert Lester Simmons was born in Tazewell County, Virginia, and grew up in Bluefield, West Virginia and graduated from Bluefield College. Al worked most of his career as a preschool teacher and child-care director. Children loved his invented games and silliness and playfully called him “Owl.” Having had a difficult childhood, he often said, “Working with children helped me re-parent myself.” Remarkably, after his death, one parent said that “Al taught us how to be parents.”
Al was generous of spirit, and the interest he showed in people’s lives made them feel important. He had a visceral understanding of what it was to be “the other” and always had an eye out for those in need.
Al met his wife Marcia in the late 1970s when he was a Vista Volunteer. Having grown up with an alcoholic father, Al too found himself addicted to alcohol and tobacco. His love of Marcia enabled Al to quit drinking and give up smoking for the rest of his life. Marcia brought Al to Richmond Friends Meeting about 25 years ago, where he became a lifelong attender and active participant. Although Al chose not to seek membership, he served as a shining example to Meeting of the best that Quakers could be.
Always modest, Al preferred not bringing himself to the attention of others. But when Meeting faced difficult issues, he would speak with such caring and authenticity that he served as a beacon to all. Al contributed selflessly to Meeting. For example, he was a tireless contributor in maintaining the building and grounds and, when he discovered that Friends were paying to have the meetinghouse cleaned, he took on the weekly cleaning which he continued doing for at least two years.
Al was committed to issues that make a difference in people’s lives, especially the most powerless. He was known for his devotion and actions for peace and justice for all, and the lovely way he had of making a point, his honesty, integrity, and authenticity. And he was funny! Even near the end, he asked Marcia “When does my flight leave?”
Al was dedicated to the cause of peace. Having served in Vietnam as an artilleryman, that war, and the way it was conducted, bothered him the rest of his life. He regularly participated in anti-war demonstrations and marches, and he and Marcia originated and maintained for many years a “Second Saturday” peace vigil. In 2008, as part of a peaceful demonstration at the School of the Americas, he was one of five people who intentionally “crossed the line”, was arrested for trespassing, and was sentenced to two months in a federal prison in Butner, NC. For years after his incarceration at Butner, Al visited prisoners and supported them in many ways, offering rides and hospitality to family members of prisoners.
Al was a nontheist and considered himself a humanist. He preferred to think “God” needed an extra “o”, thus “Good.” His love and deep commitment to Quaker values illustrated to all of us that the inner light can shine brightly within each of us, despite the specifics of our religious beliefs.
Al Simmons died from lung cancer on March 5, 2024, at home with his loving wife Marcia Dickinson at his side.