Morgan F. Simmons, 95, died February 28 in Evanston, Illinois. He was born April 6, 1929, in Andalusia, Alabama. His first piano teacher, Josie Lyons, was organist of the First Methodist Church of Andalusia; in due course, he would sing in the church’s junior choir and begin organ lessons with Lyons on the church’s three-manual Austin organ. He graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree in organ performance from DePauw University, Greencastle, Indiana, in 1951, having studied organ with Van Denman Thompson. Subsequently he earned his Master of Sacred Music degree from Union Theological Seminary in New York City in 1953, days after marrying his Union classmate, Mary Louise Day. Among his teachers at Union were Clarence and Helen Dickinson, Hugh Porter, Robert Baker, Harold Friedell, Seth Bingham, Searle Wright, Reinhold Niebuhr, and Paul Tillich.
After serving two years in the Army, Morgan Simmons was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to the Royal School of Church Music in England, for 1955 and 1956, studying hymnody with Cyril V. Taylor, after which he, Mary, and infant son David returned to Union to complete his doctoral studies in 1961. His dissertation topic was “Latin Hymnody: Its Resurgence in English Usage.” From 1956 until 1962, he also served as Minister of Music at Bound Brook Presbyterian Church, Bound Brook, New Jersey.
From there, Morgan Simmons received an appointment in 1962 as organist and choir director at First United Methodist Church and in 1963 at Garrett Seminary (now Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary) in Evanston, teaching music and worship at the seminary until 1977. In 1968 he began 28 years of service as organist and choirmaster at Fourth Presbyterian Church of Chicago, with Mary serving as associate organist and accompanist. During the Simmonses’ tenure, they led the choir on three European tours, developed a recital series and arts festival, and composed music. The Simmonses led the project that led to Fourth Church acquiring Aeolian-Skinner Opus 1516, a four-manual organ of 125 ranks. In 1994 a comprehensive renovation of this organ was completed by Goulding & Wood of Indianapolis, Indiana.
Morgan Simmons’s organ works published by MorningStar include Cityscape, in three movements; Conversation Piece, for flute and organ; Prelude on Christmas Carol; and Reflections, for organ and oboe. Prelude on a Melody by Sowerby, dedicated to his wife Mary, was printed by H. G. Gray Publications (Belwin-Mills). His choral works published by Hope Publishing include Choral Responses and the hymntunes Fourth Church and George’s Tune. The hymn tune Simmons is published by the Leupold Foundation.
Morgan Simmons served in many capacities with the American Guild of Organists, including dean of the North Shore Chapter and treasurer and councilor for finance and development at the national level. He was an active member of The Hymn Society of the United States and Canada, where he served as vice president, and he was secretary/treasurer of the Consultation on Ecumenical Hymnody. In addition, he was a trustee of Union Theological Seminary.
Morgan Simmons enjoyed the beauty of flowers and needlework, and he was a skilled gardener and needlepointer. He served on the Evanston Garden Walk committee for many years. His needlepoint creations included more than 30 pieces for Fourth Church such as chancel cushions, replicas of stained glass, and a tapestry entitled The Burning Bush.
Morgan F. Simmons was preceded in death by his wife, Mary L. Simmons, on January 30, 2022. He is survived by sons David (Barbara) Simmons and Robert (Deborah) Simmons; daughter Kathryn (Donald) Raithel; seven grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren. A service of remembrance will take place at a future date at the Fourth Presbyterian Church of Chicago. Memorial gifts may be made to the New Organist Fund (Morgan and Mary Simmons Scholarship) of the American Guild of Organists, 475 Riverside Drive, Suite 1260, New York, NY 10115 (agohq.org), or the music program at the Fourth Presbyterian Church, 126 E. Chestnut Street, Chicago, IL 6061 (fourthchurch.org).
For more information, see “A conversation with Morgan and Mary Simmons,” an interview by Steven Egler, in the April 2018 issue, pages 21–25, and “A conversation with Morgan and Mary Simmons,” an interview by Roy F. Kehl, in the July 1996 issue.
Other recent obituaries:
