Raymond E. "Clouse" Simons, 94 , Lee's Summit, MO, formerly of Valley Falls, died Thursday, Feb. 3, 2011, at Lee's Summit.
He was born on April 3, 1916, at Ray, MO, the son of Ulysses Sidney Grant and Mary O'Dell Post Simons. He graduated from Valley Falls High School in 1936.
Clouse joined the Navy on Dec. 9, 1941. He served in the South Pacific on troop transport ships during WW II and later worked to build the air base on the Philippines that General MacArthur used in his return to the islands. After the war he served in Washington, D.C. in the newly formed Armed Service Police whose duties were to provide support to the Secret Service to protect at that time President Harry Truman.
During the Korean War he served with the Seabees in Korea. He later helped build air bases in the Philippines, devise ratings examinations at the Great Lakes Exam Center, was an onsite advisor to the Turkish Navy, and worked to build a top secret communications center in Alaska. He had four service periods in Vietnam as the Assistant Public Works Director for the Navy where he again built air bases.
Clouse retired from the Navy in 1972 as Senior Chief and returned to Valley Falls. He owned the Broadway Tavern for five years. He was a past Jr. Commander of Grahem-Herbers Post 3084, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and was a member of American Legion Bi-Centennial Post 225 at Ozawkie and Moose Lodge 555 at Topeka.
He married Ruth Cole Hickey in 1945. She died on Jan. 10, 1976. He married Cynthia Mae Yoe on Nov. 1, 1976, at Miami, OK. She died on Jan. 21, 1991. He was also preceded in death by five brothers, Ernest Simons, Sidney Simons, Charles Simons, Harry Simons and Marion Simons, and six sisters, Edith Worner, Elsie Lane, Edna Killion, Louise Dunmire, Mary Marsh and Stella Crow.
Survivors include his daughter, Judy Casady, Lee's Summit, MO; two sons, Raymond Thorp, St. Louis, MO, and Dennis Thorp, Enterprise, AL; 14 grandchildren; 31 great-grandchildren; two great-great grandchildren and many nephews, nieces and friends.
The funeral service will be at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2011, at Mercer Funeral Home in Valley Falls. Burial with military honors conducted by a U.S. Navy Honors Team and Grahem-Herbers Post 3084 Veterans of Foreign Wars will follow at the Valley Falls Cemetery. Visitation will be from 6:30 -8:30 p.m., Monday and also from 12:30 p.m. Tuesday until service time. Memorial contributions may be made to Grahem-Herbers Post 3084, V.F.W. and sent in care of the funeral home, PO Box 6, Valley Falls, KS 66088.