In loving memory of
John Sherwood Simmonds
April 7, 1938 - March 8, 2026
John Sherwood Simmonds, 88, of Seattle, Washington, died peacefully on Sunday, March 8, 2026.
Born in Washington, D.C. on April 7, 1938, to James Henry Simmonds and Elisabeth Welch Simmonds of Arlington, Virginia, John grew up in Arlington during the final years of the Great Depression and the upheaval of World War II -- years that instilled in him a sense of duty, resilience and gratitude. He later attended Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Virginia, alongside his older brother, James "Jim" Gordon Simmonds.
John is survived by his children, Karen Helena Simmonds (Mark Gilbert), Marc Sherwood Simmonds (Katherine Gay Conder), Kirsten Jamia Simmonds, Scott Kendal Simmonds, and stepdaughter, Rebecca Raulerson Parrish (Remsen Parrish); his grandchildren, Alexandra Danielle Simmonds, Liam Owen Simmonds, Morgan Linet Simmonds, Zachary McCrea Simmonds, Taelyn Faye Simmonds and step-grandson John Remsen Parrish; his younger siblings, Sidney George Simmonds (Barbie Pelkey) and Susan Jeane Simmonds (James Lawrence). John was predeceased by his parents and his brother, Jim.
John's path was shaped by rigorous education and a commitment to service. He graduated summa cum laude from Yale University in 1959 with a B.A. in Psychology, earning honors as a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Sigma Xi. He went on to earn his M.D. from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1963, completing his medical internship and first-year residency in Internal Medicine at Duke University Medical Center. He honorably served as a Captain in the U.S. Army Medical Corps from 1965 to 1967 during the Vietnam War, having been appointed a Commissioned Officer in the Army Reserves in 1964. Afterwards he returned to Yale University Medical Center to complete a fellowship in Hematology and serve as Senior Resident in Internal Medicine. He later earned a Master of Public Health in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from the University of South Florida College of Public Health in 1994. Dr. Simmonds was board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in 1969 and in Hematology in 1972, was inducted into Alpha Omega Alpha, and received numerous other awards and distinctions over the course of his medical career.
Dr. Simmonds joined the Watson Clinic in Lakeland, Florida, in 1969, becoming its youngest partner to date, and practiced there as an Internist for over two decades while also serving on the attending staff of Lakeland Regional Medical Center. For many years, he was also editor-in-chief of a quarterly health newsletter distributed to some 100,000 healthcare beneficiaries. John completed his medical career at the VA clinics in Greenville and Spartanburg, South Carolina, officially retiring on July 3, 2010.
John's patients were enriched by his care, and he by theirs. One patient wrote, "I want you to know that the major quality you had as a physician was your ability to share a part of yourself. It provided me with a trust that I had never had with a physician." Another couple, writing of their regret when John retired, expressed deep appreciation for his competence and integrity -- a sense of security in their old age that they called priceless.
Beyond medicine, John was a voracious reader with a lifelong love of literature, and a writer in his own right, penning poems, short stories and novels. He was an avid golfer and had a deep love of nature and wildlife.
John touched many lives through his nearly forty years in medicine. He was a kind and generous soul with a wonderful sense of humor and a huge, inquisitive mind. He will be deeply missed.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in John's memory to:
ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals)
PO Box 96929, Washington, DC 20090-6929 | aspca.org/donate
National Wildlife Federation
PO Box 1583, Merrifield, VA 22116-1583 | nwf.org/donate