David Barton Simmons

David Barton Simmons passed away May 7th in Bentonville after an extended illness. He was born in Ashdown, Arkansas in 1949. He graduated from Rankin Street High School in 1967 before earning an Associate of Arts from Central Baptist College and entering the US ARMY, where he served as Intelligence Sergeant at Special Ammunition Support Command's 548th Artillery in Seckenheim Germany. After his service he returned to State College of Arkansas, now UCA, and graduated in 1974 with a degree in Political Science and minor in Sociology. He went on to earn a Juris Doctorate at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. Simmons had a successful career with the Arkansas Insurance Department where he eventually became the Assistant Commissioner of Insurance under, then Governor, Bill Clinton. He later became General Counsel for the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and was promoted to Executive Vice President/CEO in 1992 where he was often called to testify to the US Congress. After leaving the NAIC, David was asked to come to the Republic of Jamaica to re-write the laws governing insurance and to advise the Kingdom of Thailand. David enjoyed fly fishing, singing karaoke, and traveling, but his favorite pastime was reading. His favorite authors were Mark Twain and Pat Conroy, but he read everything he could get his hands on and had an extensive personal library. David is survived by a daughter, Amy Gillespie (Michael) of Bella Vista, a son, Kyle Simmons of Kansas City, Kan., two young grandchildren who were his pride and joy, Evelynn and Owen Gillespie of Bella Vista, two sisters, Jean (Buddy) Gentry of Ashdown, and Jerri Roper of Hot Springs. He is preceded in death by his mother, Joyce Barton Simmons Lee, father, David Elmo Simmons and step-father, Arval Lee. His family will remember him as someone with all the answers, always laughing and ready to have a good time with good food and good friends. Services will be held at 2 p.m., June 14th at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Little Rock. In lieu of flowers donations can be made in his name to ACLU Arkansas or the Democratic Party of Arkansas.