Emory Guy Simmons, 93, of Crawfordsville, died Monday, June 3, at Whitlock House,
after his battle with cancer. Born Apri112, 1920, in Fountain County he was the son of
Floyd and Estel McAlister Simmons. He attended Crawfordsville schools and graduated
from Wabash College in 1941. During WW II he served as a staff sergeant in the U.S.
Army and was stationed in Cairo, Egypt. After the war he received his masters degree
from Depauw University and his doctorate in mycology at the University of Michigan in
Ann Arbor.
After three years as an associate professor of bacteriology and plant pathology at
Dartmouth College he entered Federal Service in 1953 as head of the Mycology Lab at
the U.S. Army Natick Laboratories in Massachusetts. Upon retirement from Natick he
then taught and conducted research at the University of Amherst.
Returning to his hometown in 1987 he continued to research, edit and publish.
Instrumental in founding the Mycology Society of America in 1946 he served as
president and secretary/treasurer. Other affiliations included the American Association of
Advancement of Science, the Botanical Society of America, the American Society of
Plant Taxonomists, the International Association of Plant Taxonomy and the Indiana,
New Yorkand Michigan Academies of Science, Sigma Xi, Phi Sigma, Phi Kappa Phi
and Lambda Chi Alpha.
In 1988 he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Kasetsart University in Bangkok,
Thailand, where he had worked extensively. Other honors bestowed on Dr. Simmons
included Honory Life member of the Mycological Society of America and Honorary Life
member of the World Federation British Mycological Society. At the age of 90 he
published "Alternaria: An Identitication Manual" in the Netherlands for which he
received the first ever Johanna Westerdijk Award. In 2010 he was awarded the
Ainsworth Medal for "extraordinary service to international mycology, especially his
development, maintenance, and preservation of biological resource collection." by the
A.M.S.
Dr. Simmons was an avid reader, international traveler and supporter of the Metropolitan
Opera. He was a civic supporter of the Carnaige Museum of Montgomery County, the
Montgomery County Historical Society and Wabash College.
Dr. Simmons was preceded in death by his parents and four siblings: brother George
Eileen) Simmons, sisters Minnie (Gene) Layne, Mary (Kenneth) Strong and Florence
"Hootsie" (Bob) Mills. He is survived by five nieces and three nephews.

Funeral services are scheduled for 2:00 PM Monday at Hunt & Son Funeral Home with Pastor Gary Lewis officiating. Burial will follow at Waynetown Masonic Cemetery. Friends may call one hour prior to the services Monday in the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Montgomery County Community Foundation.