Dr. James "Doc" Simmons' Obituary
James Roy Simmons (Jim), age 76, passed away peacefully in his home on January 29, 2023,
surrounded by family. He was born to the late James Roy Simmons and Dorothy Lucy Murray on
August 12, 1946 in Fort Wayne Indiana. He is preceded in death by his wife Joan Lea Rutan,
whom he married in Bloomington Indiana on August 17, 1968 in the Indiana University campus
chapel. Jim earned his Ph.D. in Political Science from Indiana University in December of 1983 and
started working at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh as a faculty member during fall of 1989
after having taught at Iowa State University and DePauw University. He retired as a
Distinguished Professor at the end of 2020 and was awarded Professor Emeritus status.
Prior to completing his education, Jim served in the US Army from 1970 to 1972, ending his
service as a legal specialist –JAG Corps at Fort McPherson in Georgia—where he was deeply
involved in handling documents associated with the My Lai Trials. He was awarded the National
Defense Service Medal and the Army Commendation Medal. Jim was an accomplished empirical social scientist and author. In addition to his over fifty published papers and dozens of shorter research pieces, he was the author of What Government Can Do; Dealing with Poverty and Inequality, published with the University of Chicago Press. Jim was an expert in political theory, election forecasting, local responses to
environmental regulation, and municipal government structures; his research on the forms of
local government had real-world impacts on Oshkosh city government. Almost every aspect of UW Oshkosh bears some trace of Jim’s indefatigable energy and persistent influence. He was one of the longest serving and most accomplished faculty leaders, holding numerous leadership roles, including three terms as president of the Faculty Senate, chair of the political science department from 1999-2011, Chancellor’s Leadership Fellow, and dozens of other roles, most of which were invisible to his colleagues who benefitted from his service. In his time at the university, he received over fifteen awards for his scholarship, for his service and his teaching; he was also recognized for his success in advising students as well as supporting seven student organizations, which covered the range of political persuasions.
Jim was active in his national and local professional disciplinary associations and in the local
community, serving three times as president of the Wisconsin Political Science Association and
on many business and community partnerships with university connections. He was a regular
and well-known commentator on local and national politics and engaged in contentious
debates at the Candlelight Club since 1989. Jim had definite political views, but he always took
pride in making his students unable to guess his personal opinions. His presence at the
university was critical yet always postive, as one colleague put it, “Jim had this great wry smile
that, with his mustache, gave him a mischievous look - coupled with a great sense of humor. He
made me laugh.” Even in retirement, he was working and sharing ideas right up to the end.
Jim is survived by his son Solon Simmons, his son’s wife Andrea Robles, and their two daughters, Alessandra and Gabriela, as well as by his two brothers Mike and Tom Simmons and
their families.
A time of visitation and support will be held in Fiss & Bills-Poklasny Funeral Home (865 S Westhaven Oshkosh) on Saturday February 11, from 10:00 AM -12 Noon. At 12:00 PM there will a public sharing of stories and remembrances.
Memorials will be taken to fund a scholarship for engaged political scientists for the UW Oshkosh Political Science Department.
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