Thomas Simmering

Thomas “Tom” Simmering, 64, of 1323 N. Shore Dr., Clear Lake, Iowa, died Thursday, Aug. 2, 2012 in Kenora, Ontario, Canada, while on his 42nd annual fishing trip with lifelong friends. 

     Funeral service will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug.11, 2012 at Zion Lutheran Church, 112 N. 4th St., Clear Lake, with Rev. Derik Yarian officiating.  Visitation will be Friday from 3 p.m.-7 p.m. at the Ward-Van Slyke 

Colonial Chapel, 101 N. 4th St., Clear Lake, and then one hour before the service on Saturday at the church.  Burial will be in the Clear Lake Cemetery, Clear Lake.  Family suggests memorials be given to the Association for the Preservation of Clear Lake.

     Tom was born Sept. 24, 1947, in Ames, Iowa, the son of Lawrence Frederick and Jenny Lucille (Pullen) Simmering.  Tom graduated from Ames High School in 1966 where he excelled on the football field for the Little Cyclones, then continued on to graduate from Luther College in 1970, and Iowa State University Graduate School in 1973.  Tom married JoEllen Steil on Dec. 21, 2004.

     Tom was a partner in the municipal consulting firm of Simmering-Cory, Inc.  Tom was well known in the State of Iowa for his knowledge of and expertise in Urban Renewal and Urban Revitalization.  He assisted more than 250 cities and counties with preparing and implementing Urban Renewal and Urban Revitalization Plans that resulted in a variety of development projects across the state.  He very much enjoyed his work and the interesting people he met during his associations with the various cities and counties that he worked for.

     Tom believed there was no better place in the world than Clear Lake, and enjoyed participating in many of the activities that were part of the lake community, including large family gatherings during the 4th of July, attending functions at the Surf, helping the Parks and Recreation Department with watering of the downtown flower baskets, bike rides around the lake, and participating in efforts of the Association of the Preservation of Clear Lake and the CLEAR project.  In addition, Tom was on the Board of Directors of the Clear Lake Industrial Development Corporation, serving as its President during 2009.  During his tenure with the Development Corporation, he was also an active participant in the creation of the North Iowa Corridor Economic Development Corporation.

     He enjoyed many outdoor activities including fishing, hunting, trap shooting at the Owatonna and Ventura gun clubs, boating, and Iowa State football games.

Tom’s family and friends will always remember him as incredibly compassionate.  His intense caring and generosity for the people around him will leave a legacy that we all can only aspire to reach in life.

     Tom is survived by his loving wife, JoEllen (Steil) Simmering, Clear Lake; two children, Lesley (Bill) Schwalje, Rowlett, Texas, and Otto (Roseann) Simmering, Scottsdale, Ariz.; mother, Lucille Simmering, Story City, Iowa; brother, Richard Simmering, Minneapolis, Minn.; sister, Rebecca (Wayne) Anderson, White Bear, Minn.; brother-in-law, Buck (Valora) Steil, Mason City; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.  He was preceded in death by his father Lawrence Simmering.

     Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.