Charles V. Simms

Charles Valentine Simms passed away peacefully on March 3rd, 2026 in his Florida home. He is preceded in death by his parents William Alexander and Dorothy Valentine Simms, his sister Budagail Simms Kirchman, and by his beloved wife of 64 years, Elizabeth Ann Harlament Simms.

Charles was born in Bell Center, Ohio on May 26, 1932. He was a member of Oakwood High School’s Class of 1950. He attended the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University, graduating in 1954. He and Ann were married in April 1955.

From 1955 to 1958, Charles was commissioned through ROTC into the U.S. Air Force. He became a 1st Lieutenant and pilot while he and Ann were stationed in West Germany. During that deployment, Ann delivered their first child, Elizabeth. In 1958 the couple returned to the States.

Charles founded the Charles V. Simms Development Corporation and began his long career in home building in 1957. In 1989 Charles founded the Simms Management Corporation, providing property management services to the residential communities built by his company. He served as President of the Ohio Home Builders Association in 1967, and then as President of the Dayton HBA in 1969. He has been a Life Director of the National Association of Home Builders since 1968. In 1995 Charles received national recognition from the NAHB for his contributions and dedication to the industry. Charles served as a member of the Affordable Housing Commission of Dayton from 1992-1998.

Charles served on the Oakwood City Council from 1967 to 1972, and then as a Montgomery County Commissioner from 1973 to 1976. He was instrumental in establishing the Miami Valley Regional Transit Authority, and served as Vice President of the RTA from 1971 to 1973.

Numerous nonprofit organizations in the Greater Dayton area benefited from Charles’ time and talent, including as a founding member of the Miami Valley Open Space Council (forerunner to Five Rivers MetroParks), and as Chairman of the Miami Valley Hospital Foundation. In 1974 he and Ann helped to establish the Oakwood Sister City Program with Le Vesinet, France and later, with Outremont, Canada.

Charles served as a member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Vestry for 9 years, including terms as both Junior and Senior Warden. Charles and Ann established a number of perpetual college scholarship funds at The Dayton Foundation for students at Oakwood and the University of Dayton. Another organization near to his heart was Habitat for Humanity. Charles personally led nearly a dozen builds over the years and swung a hammer on many others, helping to provide quality housing to needy families.

A love of travel was a major theme of his life with Ann, which began with their honeymoon trip through South America. Together they visited dozens of countries on all seven continents. They shared this passion with their children and grandchildren with intergenerational trips and exciting adventures. Charles was an avid and lifelong fisherman. He enjoyed tennis and golf during winters on Sanibel Island with Ann, and with family and friends at Virginia Hollinger Tennis Club, Dayton Country Club, Moraine Country Club, and Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo.

Charles is survived by his four children: Elizabeth (Michael) Gutmann, Charles (Patricia), Leslie (Bruce) Nagel, and Jennifer Simms, brother William A. Simms, Jr., step-sister Martha Cammerer McCarthy and her family, as well as twelve grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren. The family extends a special note of recognition and affection to long time business associate and President of Simms Management, James Ritterhoff.

A celebration of life is planned for late May. In lieu of flowers, please consider memorial contributions in Charles’ memory to The Dayton Foundation.