Fredrick Lorenz Simkins

With a life that spanned times of war and times of peace, times of plenty and times of want, Fredrick "Fred" Simkins was an extraordinary man to know and love. He was a lifelong member of the community he loved, and it has been said that he was generous to a fault. A more devoted family man would be hard to find, and he was so blessed to witness his family tree blossom to include children, grandchildren, and great-grandchild. Always one to work hard, he fully devoted himself to whatever task was at hand. Deeply loved, Fred will be forever missed. Life during the 1930s was anything but easy as the entire decade was cloaked in the hardship of the Great Depression. Jobs were hard to come by, a drought covered our nation for nearly two years, and countless American families lost their homes as a result. Despite the trials around them, Marcus and Alice Simkins were able to focus their attention on an exciting time in their own lives as they were eagerly awaiting the birth of their new baby as the beauty of April began to unfold in Remus, Michigan, in 1939. Their wait was finally over when the baby boy they named Fredrick drew his breath on April 24th. He was one of nine children as he was joined in his family by his siblings, Jean, Mike, Tom, Carol, Reva, Rose, Jerry, and Cheryl. Raised on the family farm near Remus, Fred understood the value of hard work from a young age. He loved working on their Farmall and would often see how fast he could get it to go! It was a day to remember when Fred and his father saw a man fall through the ice so they helped rescue him. Fred even got his name in the local paper! As a teen he had a 1946 green model 6 Harley-Davidson. He later sold it, only to find out that just one week later it had caught fire and burnt up. Fred enjoyed driving his pink DeSoto and his Plymouth. After graduating from high school, he attended Waterlift training school to become a machine operator. Also as a young man Fred served in the Army for three years, spending much of his time being stationed in France. There, he drove a large truck and bus. He always appreciated the beauty of the land in France and had dreams of going back to see the beautiful country under different circumstances. Fred worked as a tool and die maker as well as a supervisor at Checker Motors. There was never anything of greater significance in Fred's life than his loved ones. As a young man he married Pat, and together they welcomed four children including Andy, Tina, Melanie, and Rebecca into their hearts and home. Later, Fred married Linda, whom passed away eight months after their marriage. As the years went by, he was thrilled to become a grandfather to 10 grandchildren and more recently, a great-grandchild as well. On February 23, 2004 in Parker, Arizona Fred married Joyce. His life was also enriched with the addition of two step-children: Dwight and John, to love. Throughout his life Fred was a man of many interests. He was a member of Scotts United Methodist Church and was a man of faith. For years Fred loved leaving the cold Michigan winters behind to spend them in the warmer weather found in Arizona and Florida. Fred spent many hours watching birds as well as making wooden bowls. He enjoyed watching nature shows on television, and during his younger years he was an avid reader of Calvin and Hobbs. Fred was known as someone who was so generous no matter the personal sacrifice. If he knew of someone who was in need, he was always the first to help whether in a financial or a physical way. As an avid outdoorsman, he loved hunting and fishing throughout his life. All who knew Fredrick "Fred" Simkins would agree that there was no one quite like him. He made the most of every day he was given and fully embraced both the peaks and the valleys along his life's journey. Fred experienced the most joy he had known when he was surrounded by his loved ones, his devotion to his family, extended family, and his friends was unmatched. Dearly loved, Fred will be forever missed. Fred Simkins, age 79, of Vicksburg, went to be with the Lord on September 6, 2018. Fred's family includes his wife of 14 years, Joyce; his children: Dwight (Donna) Blodgett, John (Liubov) Blodgett, Andrew (Joni) Simkins, Tina (Chris) Hondzinski, Melanie (John) Kelly, Rebecca (Randall) Hoogstraton; his siblings: Jean, Mike, Tom, Jerry, Rose, Cheryl, Carol, Reva; his grandchildren: Cassandra, Jessica, Max, Allison, Megan, Andelyn, Alex, Connor, Somber and Tannen; one great grandchild, Escher as well as several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife Pat and his second wife Linda. Visit with his family and friends on Wednesday, September 12 from 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. at the Scotts United Methodist Church; 8458 Wallene St, Scotts, MI 49088.A funeral service will be held at 11:30 a.m. at the same location. Please visit Fred's memory page at www.mccowensecord.com where you can archive a memory or photo and sign his memory book online. In Lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the National Kidney Foundation or Glenn Arbor Hospice. The family is being assisted by the McCowen & Secord Family Funeral Home, Rupert-Durham Chapel, 409 S. Main Street, Vicksburg (269-649-1697).