an Eagle Scout. In WWII, he served in the
Navy. At UNC, he was a member of Delta
Kappa Epsilon. Charles Waynehouse Boss
Jr. (’ 48), 82, of Cape Charles, Va.; Jan. 13, 2008.
James Needham Bradford (’ 49 BSPHY),
81, of Albuquerque, N.M.; Nov. 18, 2007.
Bradford was a research optical physicist, working at the Naval Research Laboratory in
Washington, D.C., for much of his career
before retiring from MRJ Inc. in Fairfax,Va. At
UNC, he was a member of the Glee Club and
Delta Phi Alpha. John Sibley Brand (’ 47
AB), 85, of Indianapolis; March 4, 2008. Brand
retired as a research psychologist and training
evaluator for the Army Soldier Support Center
at Fort Harrison in Indianapolis. He served in
the Army in WWII in Europe and the
Philippines. Richard Harvey Britton (’ 49
BSCOM), 81, of Greenville, S.C.; May 4, 2007.
Britton served as a flight instructor in the
Army Air Forces in WWII. Harvey Lindy
Bumgardner (’ 49), 79, of Raleigh; April 14,
2008. Bumgardner was a retired professor at
N.C. State University. During his tenure there,
he served for seven years as staff member and
then chief of station for the U.S. Agricultural
Mission in Peru. He was active with the
Raleigh Little Theater and was an avid gardener, especially growing, showing and judging
roses, and volunteered at the J.C. Raulston
FLOYD MACON “CHUNK” SIMMONS ’ 49 1923–2008
In Sports, Acting and Life, He Always Kept Moving
He won two bronze medals in the earning him a second decathlon bronze medal. “My father was a great moti-decathlon in the 1948 and ’ 52 Olympics; After the Olympics, Simmons moved to vation to me; I admired him,” Simmons said
ran track and played football for Carolina; California to study art and ended up with a in the 1975 article. “He was working out at
acted in several movies, including South movie contract. Simmons worked in movies the Y the week before he died … at age 91.”
Pacific; and at one time called Clint Eastwood and television for the next decade, where he Simmons, like his father, remained active
a friend. But Floyd Macon “Chunk” met Eastwood and was throughout his life. He
Simmons Jr. ’ 49 never let any of his accom- almost cast opposite participated in masters
plishments go to his head or get in the way Elizabeth Taylor in Cat track and field games
of moving on to the next one. on a Hot Tin Roof until a and the statewide and
“I’ve never really done anything to my change in directors national Senior Games
ultimate,” Simmons told The Charlotte Observer resulted in Paul Newman until 2005. The cama-in 2004. “I’ve done them, then said, well, I getting the part. raderie and competition
know how to do that, and now I’ll move on.” Simmons’ most well- made him continue to
On April 1, Simmons died in Charlotte at known role was Cmdr. participate in sports.
age 84. Bill Harbison in the “The Games gives
Simmons’ achievements as an athlete, actor, movie South Pacific. older people another
artist and Olympian prompted Ron Green Simmons was also cast dimension to their lives.
Sr., a sports columnist for the Observer, to for a role on the popular And it gives athletes a
write in 2004: “I’m still not sure Floyd ‘Chunk’ western television show chance to extend their
Simmons didn’t walk out of a novel one day. The Restless Gun, but the lifestyles,” Simmons told
… Didn’t F. Scott Fitzgerald make him up?” show was canceled The News & Observer in
Green said Simmons was the kind of man before Simmons started. 2000.
every guy would like to be. When Simmons left This active lifestyle
“He had a star quality about him, even Hollywood, he spent six and competitive spirit
into his late years — handsome, suave, ex- months living in Tahiti came naturally to
military, ex-athlete, ex-movie actor, and a before returning to Simmons.
charming conversationalist,” Green said in an Charlotte, where he “Sports is part of my
interview after Simmons’ death. spent the rest of his life life, but it’s a poetic
Before coming to Carolina in 1945, working as a photogra- thing. I love the specta-Simmons served in the Army 10th Mountain pher, taking outdoor “I love the spectacle, the drama,” Floyd Macon cle, the drama. It’s just
Division in World War II and received a Purple portraits and photo- “Chunk” Simmons ’ 49 said about the attraction of sports. “It’s just an extension of when I was a kid an extension of when I
Heart after he was injured in Italy. When he graphing weddings. running ... for the fun of it.” was a kid running
returned, Simmons played football for Although Simmons down the block for the
Carolina, though he felt his skills were over- pursued work in the arts, sports were always fun of it,” Simmons said in the 1975 Observer
shadowed by legendary teammate Charlie an important part of his life. His father, Floyd article.
COURTESY THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER
“Choo Choo” Justice ’ 50. Disappointed by Simmons Sr., was football coach at Davidson For his accomplishments as an Olympian
the amount of time he played as tailback, College and set an example for Simmons by and UNC athlete, Simmons was inducted
Simmons focused on track and field, running exercising every day, before daily exercise was into the N.C. Sports Hall of Fame in 1973.
hurdles and occasionally high and long jumps. common. Simmons told a Charlotte Observer Simmons told sports columnist Green:
In 1947, Simmons entered his first reporter in 1975 that his father’s friends “The decathlon sort of parallels my life, and
decathlon and finished third, which encour- would laugh at him when he would go jog- maybe I was influenced by it. I chose 10
aged him to train for the 1948 Olympic ging because no one jogged back around the events and not just one pigeon hole. I didn’t
decathlon in London. He led the ’ 48 turn of the 20th century, and people in want to do just the high hurdles or the shot. I
decathlon after six events but, after a poor Blowing Rock who saw him jogging down wanted to do it all.”
discus throw, finished third. His performance the road thought it was so strange that they It seems as if he almost did.
improved in the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki, called the sheriff to stop him. — Elizabeth Templin
in
memoriam
