Charles Leroy "Robot" Simmons

Charles "Robot" Simmons made his grand entrance Into the world on November 12, 1956, In Middletown, Ohio, born of Vera Louise and James Simmons. The "grand" factor was earned because Robot was, according to our mom, the single most active child she ever carried ln the womb, that Is. Seems, he reacted to every sound, especially thunder. He was "Robot" before he ever became Charles because he sat her down many a time, with his gestational antics!

After four years without a newborn, our family cherished him. Our oldest brother, Andrew Richard, known as "Man," even authored a poem about him, which was published as a result of his having won an elementary school writing contest. Robot was a gifted child with an ability to view the mechanics of anything and figure out how It worked. Our Grandpa Charlie Matthews once gave Robot his 50- year watch that he had earned from Armco Steel Corp because It had stopped working years earlier. Robot, at the tender age of nine years got that watch ticking again! He played Peewee Football for several Middletown teams and was a particularly good student in Middletown City Schools. Robot was quite the baker, too. He was a student at McKinley Jr. High School when our Uncle Oop (Wilber) Wilson's friends got a taste of his homemade bread. This resulted in a lucrative collaboration for him...these guys paid good money for Robot's luscious loaves…After graduation from MHS, Robot married his high school sweetheart, Carol Lee Wilkerson and they had one son, Raman Amir Simmons. Shortly thereafter, he joined the Airforce where he served a term of 4 years. Decades later, Raman would follow In his dad's footsteps and join the Airforce as an Airplane Mechanic. After his military service, Robot returned to Middletown and worked at Miami University Middletown while also attending as a student. I le and Carol eventually went their separate ways, but he was blessed with a bonus family in Lolita Holiday and her fabulous five children.  Robert relocated from Middletown to the Cincinnati area.

With the help of his sister, Iva, he became one the first residents of the newly constructed development near FC Stadium and Findley Market. There, he was able to thrive socially, and enjoy his favorite pastime of sitting outside, shooting the breeze with friends and neighbors, who affectionately named him "Mr. C". Later In his Ille, Robot was met with unspeakable challenges, not the least of which was a motorcycle accident In Colorado that paralyzed him to the extent that doctors told him he would never walk again. Well, God had the final say because he did walk again. As a child of God and Vera Louise, the best way to get him to do anything was to tell him he couldn't! At a party this September past, he Insisted the photographer wait as he stood to walk to the scene, defying all odds yet again.

Robot Is survived by his son, Raman (Brandi Ritchie) Simmons; Lolita Holiday. bonus daughters, JaQuailla JaLissa Patterson and Diancia Patterson, bonus sons, Damian Holiday, Joseph Patterson, and Jonta Patterson; siblings, Lenita Lyle, Iva (Bill)........... Richburg, Walter (Mary) Smith, Edwina Smith. Jamie (Edward) Washington, and Cleveland "Bay" (Beverly) Simmons; grandchildren, Austin Simmons, Lemon Lehman, A'myhla, Hcmbree, Jovle Hembree, Ryland Hembree and a tribe of nieces, nephews and bonus grandchildren. While we are all saddened by our loss, we are encouraged and even elated at the vision and knowledge that he stepped effortlessly into the gates of Heaven greeted with outstretched arms by those who went before him, parents, Vera and James Simmons, brothers, Andrew Richard Smith and James Simmons-Ashmon, grandparents Clara "Big Mama" Simmons, Leroy "Big Daddy" Simmons, Mary Helen and Charles Matthews, (for whom he was named), Aunt Ethel Mae and Uncle Willie Bee Spann...and the entire ancestral village. Special thanks to the caring neighbors who looked out for him, including Carliss, Mariah, Desiree, Chantel and Sharon. We arc eternally grateful for the time God gave us with this brother, dad, father, grandfather, uncle, cousin friend and neighbor.  We are equally grateful that the pain is over.  The suffering has ended, and the Gift of Eternal Life has been rewarded.