Simmons, Haven Ely

Haven Ely Simmons died Tuesday, May 15, 2012, at his home in Ellicott City, Md., following a short illness. He was 89.

Born in St. Louis on Sept. 19, 1922, to Mary Esther Ely and Haven Y. Simmons, and a grandson of Mr. and Mrs. John Stoney Ely, he was graduated from Cedar Rapids Public Schools, cum laude from St. John's College, Annapolis, Md. in 1947 (original class 1944), and from Harvard Law School in 1951. He did graduate work in mathematics at University of Chicago and in law and history at Oxford University, England. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II.

He practiced law at Nutter, McClennen and Fish in Boston; at Watson, Cole, Grindle and Watson in Washington, D.C.; and from 1958 to 1988 at Simmons, Perrine in Cedar Rapids, specializing in patent, trademark and copyright law. He was a director of the Iowa Arthritis board and an officer and president of St. Martin Land Co. of Iowa and Louisiana.

He was a lifelong tennis player, voracious reader and sports car enthusiast. He was an original member of Cedar Rapids Book and Bottle Club.

Mr. Simmons is survived by his wife of 59 years, Sarah/Sally; two sons, Haven Prescott Simmons of Salisbury, Md. and Nicholas Ely Simmons of Frederick, Md.; a granddaughter, Larissa Ely Simmons of Frederick, Md.; and two brothers, William of Annapolis, Md. and John of Albuquerque, N.M.

A memorial service in Cedar Rapids will be held at a later date.

Published in The Gazette May 23, 2012.