Obituary of Charles Sprague Simonds
Charles Sprague Simonds, 85, a resident of New Canaan, Connecticut, formerly of Darien, Westport, CT, Key West, FL, and Newport, RI died peacefully on July 2, 2019, in New Canaan , CT. Charlie as he was known, was born on February 20, 1934 in Boston, MA to the late Daniel Simonds and Elizabeth Sprague Simonds Stout. He was the devoted husband of Michelle R. Hubbard-Simonds of New Canaan, CT.
He was a graduate of the Brooks School in North Andover, MA, Yale University with a BA in Art History '60, and Harvard Business School with an MBA '64. He served in the United States Marine Corp. from 1953-1956 as an OD, 2nd Lieutenant, Forward Guard Battalion Chief. He was stationed in San Diego, Okinawa, Japan and Seoul, (South) Korea. He was also a member of The Laurentian Club, Triton Club, and Potatuck Club.
After graduate school he worked briefly for McKinsey and Company in New York prior to assuming a role as President and Chairman of the RAE Motor Corporation in Illinois, that, under his stewardship, advanced the technology for small motors in the use of new applications including the first electric wheelchair and the first electric pencil sharpener.
Charlie had a deep appreciation for fine art and its history. He collected art and visited art museums his entire life, a hobby influenced by his mother.
Later in life, Charlie received his master’s degree in Transpersonal Psychology from the California Institute of Transpersonal Psychology and maintained a private practice for a brief time in Connecticut. He nurtured a life-long love affair with spy novels and the New York Times.
Charlie leaves behind his beloved wife, his sister and brother-in-law, Holly “T-ian” and Jake Callery, of VT,and a half-sister, Lansing Simonds of CA. He was a loving father to his children Christopher L. Simonds of WY, C. Sprague Simonds, Jr., of Virginia, Reade H. Simonds of Stamford, Melissa Simonds of RI, grandchildren Anna (Michael)Glennon , Natalie, Sean and William Simonds, Carlyn and Christopher Vachow, and a great granddaughter Helen Glennon, and two step daughters Kelsey Hubbard (Topher) Rollinson, of CT, and Stephanie A. Hubbard, of CA, and two step grandchildren, Paget and Hunter Rollinson.
A Memorial service will be planned for late September/ October in Newport, RI.
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