Thom was one of the engineering managers at C. E. Rogers Co. who made an enduring impression in guiding me in the design of dairy evaporators and spray dryers starting in 1988. He always had time and forbearance to share his wealth of knowledge. His endless hand written memos and epistles (as some of us called them) of varying design topics are renown midst fellow colleagues. His design knowledge had the utmost respect in the dairy industry. His interpersonal demeanor was a great quality in developing relationships among contemporaries, processing customers, leaders of the Dry Milk and Whey Products Institutes and regulatory sanitarians. These relationships were his implicit philosophy of the importance of working together for the benefit of feeding humankind.
It was an honor to know and work with Thom Simmons!
I met Thom & Lois in 1971 when their daughter Susan and I lived in an apartment off campus while students at Oakland University. They had just moved to Minnesota. Through the years he was a wise, witty 2nd father. Thom's love for his wife and care for his children & grand & greats was steadfast.There are so many memories through the years' but I am so glad that I was able to spend time with he and Lois when I visited Minnesota last September. Truly one of the finest men I've ever met !
I will always remember Thom with respect, admiration and love. He was my mentor as an engineer fresh out of college starting work at C E Rogers Company. He made an obvious effort to teach me about the dairy process business. That effort went far beyond doing his job or being a great example - which he was. And he was really good at teaching. If he had decided to be a college professor he would have been great at that.
