SIMONS, RALPH J.

Orpah and Ralph Simons were married for seventy-two and a half years before Ralph passed early on the 22nd of May [2017] and Orpah passed early on the 23rd of May. Orpah made sure that Ralph was taken care of throughout their marriage and waited until he no longer needed her before joining her husband in heaven.

Orpah (born on February 13, 1925) and Ralph (born on August 15, 1924) were raised and married in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They met at the age of 15 at a party and started to throw peanuts at each other. They were married on August 8, 1944.

They are survived by three daughters, Sally S. Benson, of West Palm Beach, Florida, Linda L. Doppes (August), of Newport Coast, California, and Nancy L. Ling (Juan), of Valrico, Florida.

Their son, James Bradley Simons, predeceased them on December 8, 2005.

They are also survived by their grandchildren, Bradley Simons, Sean Simons (Emily), Ryan Simons (Angela), Christina L. Brinkley, Lindsey Ling Bowser (Richard), and Michelle A. Ling, and great-grandchildren, Catherine Simons, William Simons, Declan Simons and Rory Simons.

Orpah and Ralph traveled between Florida and Pennsylvania for almost fifty years. They were longtime members of Butler Country Club in Butler, Pennsylvania and Atlantis Golf Club in Atlantis, Florida.

Orpah and Ralph were philanthropic and after a contribution to Carnegie Mellon University the Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) Laboratory was created at the university, as well as the creation of a scholarship fund in the name of Orpah and Ralph Simons.

They also supported the Masonic Lodge and were honored for their contributions as well as a golf scholarship at Wake Forest where their deceased son had attended college under an Arnold Palmer Golf Scholarship.

Ralph graduated from Carnegie Tech, now known as Carnegie Mellon University, in 1947 with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. He started his own business shortly after his oldest daughter, Sally, was born and owned and operated Associated Products, Incorporated, an air freshener business, in Glenshaw, Pennsylvania, until just a few years ago when it was sold.

Ralph loved the game of golf and taught his son, Jim, from the age of three how to finesse the game. Jim went on to play on the PGA Tour for 14 years. Ralph and Jim played and won in many father-son tournaments around the country including Butler Country Club and Atlantis Golf Club.

Ralph was a mathematical wiz and loved to multiply thousands by thousands in his head, which he considered to be much better than a calculator. He was a tough man who became more loving as the years went on. He had a fierce love for his family. He preferred the simple life throughout his life and in later years he would play a quick round of golf with his buddies (with a few wagers), play a bit of gin rummy and then home to watch TV in his lazy boy chair before dinner and then he and Orpah would go out for a drive at different locations all over Palm Beach County.

He shot an 87 at his surprise 90th birthday golf tournament and still was driving his Lincoln Town Car around town just before his death.

Orpah loved the game of golf also, and excelled at it both at Butler Country Club in Butler, Pennsylvania and Atlantis Golf Club in Palm Beach County. She competed as an amateur in western Pennsylvania and won many golf tournaments and was known for her tippy-toe drives. She had three holes-in-one and was a past women’s champion at Atlantis Golf Club. Her days at the golf course with her girlfriends were always happy days.

Orpah’s life was selflessly taking care of her husband and children every day and night of her life. She never said a negative word of or to anyone and only thought of others. She would be the one to show up at a neighbor’s door with a casserole when one was ill or in need. She was a beautiful woman inside and out. Her children were very blessed to have this wonderful, loving human being as part of their lives and who always believed in her children and always put her family first.

She was the inner strength of the family in her own quiet way and demonstrated her integrity and kindness her entire life. She always encouraged her children to go out in life and be and do what they wanted. Orpah’s summer camp outs on the family farm in Butler, Pennsylvania will never be forgotten by her friends who looked forward each summer to the pitched tents, the carpeted paths to the fancy outhouse and the gourmet food she prepared including her homemade whole wheat breakfast rolls and tomatoes from the garden and Pittsburgh eggs.

Her seamstress skills could not be matched. This was evidenced by the cute and complex Easter look-alike dresses that she made for all of her daughters each year. She loved to cook and was the best. Her boxes of recipes will be cherished by all of the family in years to come.

The family will be greeting friends and family with a viewing and Celebration of Life luncheon at their parents’ home in Atlantis on Saturday May 27, 2017 from 12:30 to 3:30.

Orpah and Ralph will be buried at the Allegheny County Memorial Cemetery in Allison Park, Pennsylvania on May 31, 2017 and there will be a Celebration of Life luncheon at the Butler Country Club in Butler, Pennsylvania from 12:30 to 2:30 on Wednesday May 31, 2017 for all of Orpah and Ralph’s family and friends.