Dr. Marvin Simons Jr.

Marvin Lynn Simons Jr., M.D., of Birmingham, Alabama, passed away peacefully on Monday, January 4, 2021, after a hard-fought three-year battle with cancer.

Lynn was born on April 29, 1957, to Lynn and Bonnie Simons in Morgantown, West Virginia. The oldest of five children, Lynn graduated from Nicholas County High School in 1975. Lynn attended West Virginia University and obtained his chemistry degree in three years while working as an EMT and rescue diver. Lynn continued his studies at West Virginia University Medical School and graduated in 1982. After an internship at Conemaugh Valley Memorial Hospital in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Lynn completed his Anesthesia residency at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio.

Lynn practiced medicine as an Anesthesiologist for 35 years. He particularly loved cardiac anesthesia and taught intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography to medical residents, fellows, and Anesthesiologists during stints at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the Kansas Heart Hospital. When cancer treatments finally forced him to retire, he lamented, “I need more time because I have so much more to give to my patients.”

From an early age Lynn loved to read, and he carried that love through his adult life. He had over 5000 books on his phone so that he would never be without one. He was also known for carrying a book in the pocket of his scrubs, and during downtime at work he could be found reading or doing crossword and sudoku puzzles.

Lynn’s endless love of learning showed in his numerous hobbies. As a child, he developed an interest in amateur radio. He remained an active member of the ham radio community throughout his life and collected QSL cards from around the world. He also learned to build, repair, and restore radios. Upon retirement, he joined The Birmingham Historical Radio Society, where he developed many great friendships. When Lynn moved to Houston for cancer treatment in 2020, he donated his collection of radios and equipment to the group.

Lynn was also an accomplished pilot and flight instructor who logged more than 2500 hours of flight time over several decades. He shared his love for flying with his family and many student pilots who trained under his careful and patient guidance. A long-time SCUBA diver, Lynn accumulated thousands of dives, many in his favorite spot, Bonaire. He had an encyclopedic knowledge of marine life, and on many dives he collected reef fish surveys, often identifying more than 100 different species of fish in a single dive. If not flying or diving, Lynn could often be found hiking one of his favorite trails. He completed large sections of the Pinhoti and Appalachian Trails, as well as countless shorter hikes.

Above and beyond his many accomplishments, Lynn will be remembered most for his infectious laugh that everyone would recognize and remember. Lynn was a joy to be around and was a blessing to all the lives he touched.

Lynn will be lovingly remembered by his wife of 19 years, Cindy Simons; his children, Nick (Annie), Jamie (Lindsay), Chris (Megan), and Allison (Justin); his ten grandchildren, Kenley, William, Truitt, Brooks, Tilden, Isaac, Nora, Alex, Amelia, and Ellie; his parents, Lynn and Bonnie; his sisters, Lorrie (John), Pam, Kathy (Harry), and Mary (Jorge); his brother-in-law, Jimmy (Beverly); numerous nieces and nephews; and his loving hiking companion and dog, Sophie.

Because of his passion to care for the homeless and the hungry, donations in his name can be made to your local food bank or to the Jimmie Hale Mission, P.O. Box 10472, Birmingham, AL 35202. There will be no services held at this time.