RIP Ray Simmons

May your troubled soul rest in peace.

May peace be upon him and his family.

This is truly a sad day for all who knew him.

I am grieved to hear that one of my brother officers is longer us. May the Good Lord provide the strenght to rebound from this. Thanks for your service.

May you troubled soul rest in peace. You will be greatly missed by all who knew you.

My you rest in peace. We will be praying for your little girls that you left behind.

Ray was definitely a unique and wonderful person in many different ways. He was also human with human faults, as we all are. It was a privilege to know him. It is a tragedy that this happened, and so many of his friends wish that they would have been able to say or do something that could have changed this. Anyone in this profession knows that alot of stress and personal issues affect us, and we could all be in that same situation. Please... reach out to someone... another brother or sister. We won't judge you or think less of you... we won't think that you sound weak... because you're not. We all love each other and want to help each other. May Ray rest in God's hands and God bless and comfort Ray's family, children, and friends. He will definitely be missed.

Ray looked out for many of us over the years, I'm sorry I did not get the chance to return the favor. My prayers go out to his family and may he rest in peace.

[MOD 353]

Ray was one of the good ones! It is very sad indeed what has happened. May he rest in peace.

RIP Ray Ray. You will be truly missed.

[MGilmore251]

A Legend has went home! Ray Simmons was one of my best friends and the absolute best street cop I've ever met . He taught me the ropes and made me the cop I am today.Ray was my favorite cop and I learned something every time i watched him work. . Ray, No one will ever replace you in my heart and it has been a pleasure to know and work with you. I hope your family finds peace, I know you loved them. God and Heaven have a cruiser waiting for you. God Bless!

[Terry L. Kilgore]

in work, in play, in PBA, missing you...friend

Not the time nor the place to ask that question. Enough said.

Just Curious as to if the reasons I heard are true......Let the pain ease up first guy....a lot of us are hurting right know!

[Frank Castle]

Hey spineless ..ah i mean "just curious" post up your name and ask some more stupid questions like that. I can only guess as to who or whom would ask a question like that.... no couth

[MOD 353]

Please be respectful in this time by not asking questions that may seem to be insensitive etc.

Ray was a friend to all of us. He will be missed by people who had just heard his name. As we have all done in the past, we need to try and help the ones he left behind. None of us need to pass judgement on him or what he did or why he done it. He will be with all of us for the rest of our lives. As for the asshole that wanted to know if what he had heard was true, come on over and I will be glad to tell you in person. Please check out your nuts and bring them with you when you come. Mike

It is not "us" that needs to know why. It is "us" that needs to join together and try to stay strong. We need to know that we are a family and that if anyone has any type of problem one of "us" will be there. We have learned a hard leason from this. When you least expect it someone will not there tomorrow. We will all miss Ray. Our thought and prayers are with Ray's family. There is know way we know what they are going through. We all just need to bond togther and try to get through this tough time and help his family as much as we can.

I was saddend to hear about Ray. I pray his immediate family and LEO families find peace in time. I count myself lucky to have been able to call Ray a friend. RIP Brother.

Mike said,
"come on over and I will be glad to tell you in person. Please check out your nuts and bring them with you when you come. Mike"

Please Mike, don't tarnish Ray's memory and this thread with your internet tough guy bullshit, it is unwarranted, petty and immature.

Ray's friends have many questions how such a tragedy could've happened and why none of us saw it coming. We all would've helped him in any way if we only would've known. People will form opinions and some may place blame but only Ray knows why he did what he did.

As human beings, we seek to make sense of things we do not easily understand; asking questions and contemplating is one way we cope. The last thing anyone needs is a butter bar bully challenging them for asking a simple question to try to make sense of this tragedy. You should be ashamed of yourself. My IQ prohibits me from signing my name so you can retaliate because we all know you would eventually. You may call me a coward if it makes you feel manly.

Ray was a good man who just needed our help and its a shame we didn't realize it in time. We can never let this happen again to another brother or sister.

Please pray for his family and all who loved him.

[Frank Castle]

Just a mourner.... weak bro everything you said about Ray was great, but you took the time to take a cheap shot on someone who is in mourning and his feelings are exposed as well... you didnt even take your own advice. You should have just stuck with your respects for RAY!! Mike A. vent any way you see fit...(and your right atleast Mike signed his post with his name)

Great cop, Great Friend, Great Leader........... you will be missed by many!!! Nuff Said!!

This was a shock to everyone I think.. Ray was a tough guy and had his moments as every one does, but all in all he was a great guy to work with... Your dispatchers miss you!!!!!!!

I had the great pleasure of knowing and working with Ray. Not only was he a great LEO, he was a great friend. No matter what time it was he was always there if I needed help. Ray will be truly missed by everyone who knew him. It’s not how a Deputy dies that makes them a hero, it’s how they lived and that makes Ray a hero in my book. Rest in peace Ray, you were like a brother!

Ray the law enforcement community lost one of the best. You will never be replaced. Good bye my friend.

Very sad news...and it may be a lot to ask or to expect but be respectful and pray for all involved...RIP LT... and peace and comfort to all his family through this difficult time...

Just heard the news while deployed. My thoughts and prayers go out to family and friends. A difficult time for all and I agree with most posters...look for the warning signs. We all would want a second chance to help Ray through a difficult time, so stay strong and remember that we are all family.

Ray, you were a true friend and always there when I needed your help. You will always be in mine and my families thoughts and will not be forgotten.

R. Johnson

Sorry to get the news. Try and find the positive in this sad time and hold the great memories he left behind close.

I am so sorry for all of you for this loss. My heart goes out to Ray's family and as well to all in the dept that knew and loved him. I know you are all hurting...just know that we, in the communities that you protect, cry for you, hurt for you, and reach out and hold you close to our hearts. You are all in our hearts and prayers, family and friends...know we care and send our love and prayers to you now, in this time of need.

Thank you, V. Your post probably means more to everyone here than you'll ever know. You are the reason that we took this job. Thank you for giving back.

Ray you will never know the impact that you had on so many lives. You were an inspiration to us all and we love you and will miss you. I will always respect you for the man you were and wish that you could know that even in death the Lord is still using you to touch people. I don't know why this happened and I never saw it coming. I wish I could have helped you in some way, you were always there to help us and we never saw you hurting. Please know that we are praying for your family. You will always be a hero to us. Your sunday school class wll never forget you and we love you!!!

Ray, years ago,long time before you made Sgt. and then Lt. you made certain someone you had just met was not involved in an abusive relationship---even though----the person you thought might have been the abuser was a close friend of yours----the relationship I was in was not in any way shape or form violent but you didn't know that---- you took me to the side and made me swear that nothing had happened to me------your kindness and concern has never been forgotten and I just wish I could have somehow returned the favor my friend------------rest easy Ray-----and thanks-------------you will be missed.

Ray,
You have truly been a great friend. It is with the deepest sadness, it takes you to be gone for us all the share our thoughts and prayers with you. Friends since high school and I only now let you know how great a friend and true professional you where.

When we all dicided to ride fire trucks you decided to become a police officer and a truly great one you became, touching everyone who met you.

Our prayers and thoughts will be with your family. You will always be missed.

God Bless You and Your Department.

Ray,
You have truly been a great friend. It is with the deepest sadness, it takes you to be gone for us all the share our thoughts and prayers with you. Friends since high school and I only now let you know how great a friend and true professional you where.

When we all dicided to ride fire trucks you decided to become a police officer and a truly great one you became, touching everyone who met you.

Our prayers and thoughts will be with your family. You will always be missed.

God Bless You and Your Department.

It is hard to believe that a good friend and the best partner I ever had is gone. Ray was and will always be one of my best friends. Though I no longer worked with him we still kept in touch, sharing stories and talking about how our lives were. We learned alot from each other. I was thinking of calling him on Friday but my schedule got too hectic and now I won't have the chance to talk to him again.

Rest in Peace Ray Simmons, you were one hell of a COP and FRIEND!!!!

The shock upon hearing the news was beyond explanation.

Everyone who truly knew Raymond loved him. No matter what mood Raymond was in, he was always willing to cheer you up & he would pick on me until he got a smile.

It's so hard to believe that I won't ever be able to hear him say, "Hey Nice lady" again, or pick on him because he sounds like Sam Elliot, to which he would roll his eyes and tell me i'm crazy.

I know he is now resting peacefully with those he missed, his grandparents , dad, and we can't forget old Buford.

He was a remarkable man, I will cherish the memories and he will forever live in a piece of my heart.

RIP, Raymond

[BW]

I have found myself coming back to this page time and time again. Not quite sure what to say and to whom. I wish there was some insightful thing I could whisper that would make each of you feel better; including myself. However, for one of the very few times in my life, I am at a loss for words. So please bear with me as I make an attempt to express my thoughts.

Firstly, his family... I know that anything I or anyone else may way will seem pretty empty at the present time, but know that we all have you in our prayers. It has been aid that the loss of a spouse is one of life's most traumatic events. Unfortunately, you now know the devastating truth of that statement. I wish for you courage as you begin to rebuild your life in a completely different context. Cling tightly to your faith and trust that the One who gave you good ole' days will give you new good days.

His friends... I am grateful to be including in this category. Along the way, I have learned that life is not a possession to which I am entitled, but a gift by which I am utterly blessed. Today I have a choice. I can spend the rest of my life in anger and resentment because a dear friend was taken from me, or I could spend the rest of my life in gratitude that he lived. See, you treat gifts differently from the way you treat possessions. When something belongs to you and it is taken away, you have a right to be angry. But when something is a gift and it is taken away from you, you use that occasion to give thanks that it was ever given at all.

So, I have decided that I would take the road of gratitude out of the valley of the shadow of grief, rather than the road of resentment. To this day I believe gratitude is the best of all the ways through the trauma of loss rather than a spirit of entitlement. It does not in any way eliminate the intense pain and frustration but it does take away the feelings of anger and the conviction that a terrible injustice has been done, and it opens the way for thanksgiving. Hope that each of you will join me.

Lastly, Ray... I never thought I would be saying goodbye to you. Much less in this manner... behind this computer. You were so much more than just a friend to me. And like previously mentioned in an earlier post, you were a hero (and the badge was a small part as to why I thought that).

Quite a few years back, you crossed my path. And at that very moment I knew I would be changed forever. I could have never known how much. And when I take stock, some of my most treasured possessions are the times spent with you. Thank you! You truly had a way of turning the ordinary into the extraordinary. And no matter how much time passed between our communications, it was no trouble to pick up right were we left off. But I always took comfort in the knowledge that if I ever needed you, you would be there. I hope the feeling was reciprocated. I know that in time, the hurt will fade, only to be replaced by positive memories that soothe the soul. This will be a slow, continuous process for me.

So tonight I pray for your soul as well as my own. I hope that God will help you on your way. You were a beautiful person and wonderful friend. What more can I say?

Like so very many here, I love you Raymond D. Simmons! And thank you for all that you did and the many smiles that you put not only on my face but across my heart. May you finally find the peace we all seem to be searching for!

May God bless us all!

[BW]

The Final Inspection
Author Unknown


The policeman stood and faced his God,
Which must always come to pass.
He hoped his shoes were shining.
Just as brightly as his brass.

"Step forward now, policeman.
How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek?
To My church have you been true?"

The policeman squared his shoulders and said,
"No, Lord, I guess I ain't,
Because those of us who carry badges
can't always be a saint.

I've had to work most Sundays,
and at times my talk was rough,
and sometimes I've been violent,
Because the streets are awfully tough.

But I never took a penny,
That wasn't mine to keep....
Though I worked a lot of overtime
When the bills got just too steep.

And I never passed a cry for help,
Though at times I shook with fear.
And sometimes, God forgive me,
I've wept unmanly tears.

I know I don't deserve a place
Among the people here.
They never wanted me around
Except to calm their fear.

If you've a place for me here, Lord,
It needn't be so grand.
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don't.....I'll understand.

There was silence all around the throne
Where the saints had often trod.
As the policeman waited quietly,
For the judgement of his God.

"Step forward now, policeman,
You've borne your burdens well.
Come walk a beat on Heaven's streets,
You've done your time in hell."

I know that we are to praise God through our storms...and I have been searching for ways to praise Him through this, although I must admit that it is hard. Most of the words that I can think to type here seem so empty and shallow. I only had the privilege to know Ray for approximately 18 months. Just a few months ago, Ray gathered the courage and strength to give his testimony to our youth group at church...my 15 year old daughter received Christ as a result of that testimony.

I will forever be grateful that Ray allowed God to use him in this manner. I admit that I didn't know Ray much outside of church and no doubt he was far from perfect (as we ALL are)...but I do believe that Ray was "engaged in the battle". The devil may have one this last battle, but for Ray Simmons and all who call on the name of Jesus, GOD has won the war!

My prayer is that we will all find ways to praise HIM in this storm. I also pray that if you don't know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, that you will open your heart and let Him in...He is waiting.

Rest in peace my friend,
Alan

Ray was a cops cop. We all looked up to him and wanted to be like him. He will be truely missed by all.

[markx309]

Ray You were an excellent cop and a great friend...You will truly be missed.....

YOU LEGACY WILL LIVE ON FOREVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

REST IN PEACE MY BROTHER...

UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN.............


Mark E. Burke

Mrs. Ray as we called him was a great man. We all loved him. He had hard times in his life, but we all do! Everyone will miss Mr. Ray, but my cousin and I will always have him in our heart!
I love you Mrs. Ray
I know that your family, McKenna and Peyton, and your friends and or neighbors will always remember you.[/b]

My husband and I have known Ray for many years.We truly wish that we could have been there for him in this time that he found to hard to handle on his own,but instead we find ourselves extending our hand out to our law enforcement family ,friends and most importantly Ray's family .

may you rest in peace ,Ray.

for those of you who find yourself in a difficult time ..PLEASE,remember that we are all human and are not perfect... so reach out... we WILL BE THERE FOR YOU now and forever..

heartbroken friends in tampa,fl

To one of the finest cops I ever had the privilege to work with. You always led by example, and managed to keep everybody laughing at the same time. Like the posting before mine, I will never forget the phrase “hello nice lady.” You were also a friend to my family outside the workplace. On behalf of myself, my mother, my father, my sister, and my brother-in-law, you will be greatly missed by the Ward family. Rest in peace Ray.

Ray looked out for a lot of us. I began riding with Ray 10 years ago when I was a Student Asst at the S/O. This was when he was working Era. The first time I rode with him I knew I wanted to be a k9 Officer. Ray was one of those guys that everyone wanted to be around. He is who you wanted with you if you needed backup and he is the supervisor everyone wanted to work for. I am sure he will continue to look out for all of us, and I am sure we will all be telling Ray Simmons Stories for years to come....

May he rest in the arms of the angels...

Sometimes when a cop sleeps,
the demons come.
The demons bring all the things you want to forget.

The demons bring the tears and sweat,
the spit and the blood,
Oh God the blood.

The demons bring the broken bodies from the wrecks
the sickening smell of death
and the kids...Oh God please, not the kids.

Mainly the demons bring the eyes...

the hatred and desperation in the eyes of the people you fight,
the pleading and pain of the people you try to help,
and the quiet and blankness in death of the ones you couldn't.

The demons bring sounds too....

the sounds of tires skidding and metal crunching from the wrecks,
the gunshots that seem so loud on TV yet so muffled on the street,
the screams and crying that all blend together after a while.

The demons won't leave...
Alcohol and sleeping pills work for a while
but they come back.

Some have used their own deaths to flee from them,
but most of us are scared that in causing our own death....
we'll be with them forever.

But the demons aren't all that bad,
it's better for the demons to come in your sleep,
than for the angels to come during your shift.

(they say that if you're time comes on the job,
your fallen brothers come back to take you home)

So the next time you see a cop having a bad day and he seems irritated,
and you think "What a jerk!"
Stop for a moment and wonder:

What demons came to him last night or what new ones did he meet today?

By

Amanda

Criminal Justice Student

[

[spaxson]

I got to meet Ray during a school and some training. You could tell Ray was a hard charger and he took everything in he was told. Ray you will be missed by many including me. It is a sad day on the streets know I lost a friend. Our prayers or with his family and friends!!!!

My heart is broken for you, Ray. I can't imagine how much pain and sadness could have brought you to this point. You gave so much of yourself to everyone. You were everyone's helper and protector. You were my friend and I love you.

I pray that you are safe and secure in God's hands and you don't have to hurt anymore

I spoke with Ray on Thanksgiving night, he called me about a missing adult. Ray was the example of a perfect COP. He had the demeanor to handle any situation given and he and Rodney Eddins together would make Larry the Cable Guy laugh and blush. You will be always remembered and thought of highly in this agency. God Bless you and your family!!

Ray was my college friend, my family friend, the one responsible for my husband and I dating and he was a brother in law enforcement. He took me on my first ride out, he made me laugh at all the wrong times during class, and as my brother and someone else said earlier, he forever cemented the phrase, "Hello, nice lady" in my head! When we got the call about what happened, the tears were shed and my family and I grieved for this terrible loss. But all the while, the Ray Ray stories kept slipping in and the laughter took the place of the tears. And now as we are missing his presence on this earth, we are certain that he is with us still, as is evident by all of these heartfelt posts. How amazing that one person could leave such an imprint on so many people. Ray Ray had his flaws, like we all do, but he lived his life the best he could and we are all better people for having known him, no matter how brief that may have been. To my fellow LEO officers, I know you are all suffering greatly and from what my brother has said, Ray was the kind of Lt. that backed up his guys/gals and fought the battles that needed to be fought. To Ray's wife, children and other family, your loss is the greatest and it is our duty as his extended family and friends to surround you with our love, warmth and support. Please know that you are thought of dearly and prayed for.

Rest easy Ray Ray.....and keep the crude jokes to a minimum, I think they frown on that up there! We love you dearly friend; you will be missed greatly.

[MGilmore251]

The last line of Supporter's post was nice but that was about all. Looks like a cheap shot at throwing a political dart,and it's not the time nor the place for it. Go somewhere else with that stuff. This thread is about remembering Ray Simmons,not questioning his motives ,reasoning or stability. Mod can you delete that post please?

Supporter, that may be your opinion but this is not the place for it. There is always one ?#?>#@ in the crowd. Ray was obviously presented with a situation that he felt he couldn't handle. This doesn't make his life any less valuable. Ray was an excellent officer to work with and then an excellent supervisor to work for. He will be missed!

Yes, suicide is a sin, one of the many kinds of sins that humans commit. But we have a savior, so that our sins may be forgiven. Only God is the Judge. Scripture can be debated a million ways, but what cannot be debated is the positive impact ray touched our lifes with.

Ray is in a better place. Let's not remember how he died, but rather how he lived. Maybe Ray wasn't a hero to some of you, but to many he was and we are all better off having known him.

but maybe somebody should talk about how he lived...it's not the sin of his self-inflicted death that most people are talking about...

I think he did what he did, the way he did it, as a means of saying something.

My heart goes out Ray's family and friends, but I think discussing any and all aspects of what happened and why, is part of a grieving process that should be taking place.

I realize people aren't wanting to discuss the difficult stuff but to not discuss it and acknowledge it, is to live in denial that something was very wrong and for what ever reason he could not ask for help.

This media black out seems to exemplify the disconnect in Escambia County between LE and the community. You'll are shutting out your neighbors.

I think his family will suffer more in the long run by not discussing all the important issues and questions that they will live with.

I think not discussing the realities of this difficult situation will also keep others from coming forward that need help or will need help in LE.

From how I hear Ray described, he probably wouldn't want that.

I'm sorry he ended up in that isolation and picked a permanent solution to a temporary problem, but it should be discussed so no one else ends up there, being alone.

I pray those who are hurting will find someone to talk to about this and can find comfort, whether they find understanding or not.

Talking about how you feel is part of having acceptance for the good and not so good and the bad that life brings our way from time to time.

Not everyone handles life's difficulties the same way. Placing expectations on others will not bring acceptance or help anything. Talk it out and acknowledge it for what it is.

Pain doesn't necessarily go away, but as the days pass, the pain will become less and better days are ahead. Sometimes there are things we just don't get to understand, but we should always strive too.

What ever someone feels isn't right or wrong. It is simply how they feel.

Lt. Simmons was the kind of leader I aspire to be like. Professional, intelligent, hard charging guy who, would answer calls alongside his troops. He took care and stood up for his subordinates whenever they needed him. The way he led inspired me to become a cop when I was just a ride along. Lt. Simmons touched my life in a profound way. I'll miss his laughter, the funny stories he would told, his compassion and insightful advice. I feel so blessed to have known him. Throughout my career, I will always remember and try to emulate you on those levels. Rest In Peace my brother, til we meet again.

Lt. Simmons was the kind of leader I aspire to be like. Professional, intelligent, hard charging guy who, would answer calls alongside his troops. He took care and stood up for his subordinates whenever they needed him. The way he led inspired me to become a cop when I was just a ride along. Lt. Simmons touched my life in a profound way. I'll miss his laughter, the funny stories he would tell, his compassion and insightful advice. I feel so blessed to have known him. Throughout my career, I will always remember and try to emulate you on those levels. Rest In Peace my brother, til we meet again.

I didn't really know Ray all that well, but I feel his loss. I feel it from the deep sadness of my brothers who worked and knew Ray all of these years. He was a cop's cop. I pray for his family in thier time of need. I hope Ray has found peace now.
To my fellow deputies, stay strong in this difficult time. Lean on your brothers and we'll make it thru. Ray would expect that. Rodney, Joe, Gilmore, Tom G, Hoy and all my bros, I am here if you need anything.

I raise my glass to Ray, to the way he lived and the cops that he made.

Semper Fi Ray
Ron Ross

[Frank Castle]

I'll give you 3 guesses as to who wrote the 2 posts above concerned about the media and the "disconnect", and 2 of those guesses don't count. Whoever posted those comments is not in law enforcement and had they been, they would have known Ray.

I would like to thank WEAR 3 and the PNJ for not running this story and respecting the wishes of the family, and the law enforcement community.

Anyone attempting to promote their position in the political arena using this situation should be seen for who they are.... your true colors are coming out and you wonder why you are receiving no support.....

[/b]

NorthEscambia.com (an online newspaper that covers the north end of Escambia County, Fla) is reporting funeral services. Visitation 5-8 Thursday at Faith Chapel in Cantonment. Funeral services 10 am Friday at Faith Chapel.

They have a couple of photos from Saturday morning on their site.

Alot of us knew him in a person to person way and didn't see him as an officer and then only others knew him as a cop. Many look at him as a coward but only he can tell us what was so bad he couldn't deal with and no one should judge him no one was in his shoes. Just remember his wife and kids that also have to deal with this and go on.

SUPPORTER....You have got to be a miserable unhappy individual that you would take the opportunity for cheap...disgusting...political cheapshots at this time...To even suggest..imply that ANYONE at the Sheriff's Office had ANY indication of problems and would not help is truly a very sick statement and very telling of the low class individual that you must be...To attempt to make a political agenda out of this or any tragedy must truly make the candidate that you support very proud...It's more of feeling sorry for your kind over anger because your lives must be empty...

[MOD 353]

I have gone through and deleted several posts. I will not sit by and let some of you people degrade Ray this way. We all wish we could have been there to help him in his time of need. No one will ever know the exact reason why Ray did what he did instead of reaching out to one of his many brothers or sisters. If you want to start a thread bashing Ray to make yourself or your political career look better or to question whether or not Ray should or should not have been allowed to work etc., take it somewhere else. We all have opinions on what Ray did but this board is not where it is going to be posted.

Just so people know, I would do this for any officer out there, even if I didn't personally like them. We need to stick together because no one else out there is going to take care of us. Stay safe and be strong.

There are things that we don't want to happen but have to accept, things we don't want to know but have to learn, and people we can't live without but have to let go. ~Author Unknown

If you knew Ray as a friend, Ray was one of your best friends. I learned many lessons from Ray in life. What a good cop does, what a good supervisor does, standing up for what is the right thing to do, how to laugh at yourself, and how to speak your mind. I can honestly say the most fun I've had at the SO was with him and Rodney as supervisors. We will have our good days (I'm still waiting on that) and have our bad days after this. Once the pain has subsided enough there will be things to learn from Ray's death. To those hoping to score political points for your pathetic selves by hijacking this post, now is not the time (Maybe Mod353 should have let those posts up for everyone to see what type of people they are) Now is the time for us to pray for and help his family, grieve, and remember the good Ray did.

I, as most of you, have run the gamut of feelings since Saturday. Disbelief, pain, anger, grief. Besides all this there is the realization as close to Ray as all of us were there were demons haunting him that he felt he couldn't share with us. If there are are any others who feel hopeless, please seek help from a family member, a chaplain, a health care provider, counselor, friend, clergy, anyone. I promise its not nearly as bad as you think it is at the moment and you will make it through.

[MOD 353]

Eric, you are probably right in the fact that I should have left those posts in this thread. We all have personal feelings on what Ray did and why he did it but please, lets be respectful to everyone here, especially to Ray's memory.

Haines 48 wrote: “To those hoping to score political points for your pathetic selves by hijacking this post, now is not the time (Maybe Mod353 should have let those posts up for everyone to see what type of people they are)”

I totally agree. We who are real cops know how to separate the wheat from the chafe and those who are posting sour grape comments are not strangers to us. Mod should re-post their idiotic posts so all of us can read and evaluate what they are really made of.

Those who happed to be on line when they posted their ridiculous and asinine commentary had the opportunity to evaluate what they are made of. The rest of us who were not on line before the post was deleted didn’t have the same opportunity to evaluate their words.

As cops we tend to be independent thinkers and don’t really appreciate any other person, including a Mod telling us what we “didn’t read” was not suitable for us to read.

Mod, re post the deleted comments so all of us can evaluate what they are made of our self. You should know that we will not let their falsehoods go unchallenged.

[Frank Castle]

Mod 353 if you delete Alex Jone's comments please delete my post as well. Thanks Frank.

[MGilmore251]

Frank this is exactly what they want us to do. They want everyone derailing this thread. MOD ,keep to your word and get rid of it. Ray's family reads this and I'm sure they dont want to see it. They have enough on their mind....To everyone else,keep up the kind posts.

I need a hero
I’m holding on for a hero ‘til the end of the night
He’s gotta be strong
And he’s gotta be fast
And he’s gotta be fresh from the fight
I need a hero
I’m holding on for a hero ‘til the morning light
He’s gotta be sure
And it’s gotta be soon
And he’s gotta be larger than life


Did you ever know that you're my hero,
and everything I would like to be?
I can fly higher than an eagle,
for you are the wind beneath my wings.

Alex,

First of all, the Sheriff can't suppress any news story if the media wants to publish it. The media has the information, not all of it, but enough that if they wanted to report they could. I commend their decision to respect Ray's family and friends, just as I would if it were your family member we were talking about. If you feel that you're in danger or that you really have a need to know all the details, perhaps you should call the Sheriff's Office and request the information that you seem to need to know. I hope that he forgets that he's a politician and tells you where to shove your need to know every aspect of his officers lives.

Just FYI, I wrote to Mod. 1 and asked that some of these posts be deleted. If people want to spread hate and discontent or air their political agendas, there are plenty of other of avenues they can use. To use this thread to crucify McNesby shows an utter lack of decency and respect for this officer's family.

[MOD 353]

I have also notified Site Admin about what is happening in this thread.

[MGilmore251]

Ray's obituary and guestbook link

http://www.legacy.com/pensacolanewsjour ... D=98777154 (http://www.legacy.com/pensacolanewsjournal/Obituaries.asp?Page=LifeStory&PersonID=98777154)

I have been where you fear to go...
I have seen what you fear to see...
I have done what you fear to do...
All these things I've done for you.

I am the one you lean upon...
The one you cast your scorn upon...
The one you bring your troubles to...
All these people I've been for you.

The one you ask to stand apart...
The one you feel should have no heart...
The one you call the man in blue...
But I am human just like you.

And through the years I've come to see...
That I'm not what you ask of me...
So take this badge and take this gun...
Will you take it? Will anyone?

And when you watch a person die...
And hear a battered baby cry...
Then so you think that you can be
All those things you ask of me...?

Author unknown

B-A-B-Y M-A-M-A This goes out to all his baby mama's
---Fantasia Barrino---

[buffalojeff]

Ray....I wish I had gotten to know you better, I had only got out with you on a couple of calls but was impressed with the way you handled yourself and others during those situations.

You were a true Professional.

Your Leadership will be greatly missed. Rest in Peace Brother....you'll never be forgotten.

Jeff/402

How do you walk thru doors with your head the size that it is? Insignificant... 8100 plus views, 70 plus heart felt good bye's and then you post crap like that. Do the letters "F,O" mean anything to you? Your grip on what matters or what doesn't might be a little off. I've noticed that the people that have posted here believe this simple thread of overall little significance has meaning to them. Clearly again if you really knew Ray you would not have posted your diatribe....

This is a place for friends.
If you didn't like Ray then why the he.. are YOU posting.
:roll:
If your thoughts are not nice then we don't care and we don't want to read them.
Ray was a great person, not perfect but he was a great person.
I'm glad he was a part of my life.
from a true friend. :wink:

Humility is quality you have not yet mastered.

My family is trying to figure out if this is the same Ray who's family we knew. Was his grandfather named Roland, who was also an officer many years ago??

I worked on Pensacola Beach back in the mid 90's and got to know Ray then, he was always professional and friendly. He was dating one of my friends sister at the time and seemed so happy and carefree. I wish I could have gotten to know him better.

Ray may God bless your soul.

My family is trying to figure out if this is the same Ray who's family we knew. Was his grandfather named Roland, who was also an officer many years ago??


Yes, it is the same person.

Why did he do this? Ray was a hero of sorts and I cannot, for the life of me, figure this out!

God Bless

[MOD 353]

If some of the posts seem to be out of place or have no meaning its because I am refusing to allow garbage to remain posted in this thread. Some people have responded to posts that are no longer on the boards and once I delete them I can't bring them back nor would I want to.

re:Guest

PostPosted: 11/29/07 18:40:40 Post subject:

?????---what is this all about??????

__________________________________________________ ____

It is about post that have been deleted.

If others who posted opposition to comments made would copy and paste the time and date stamp into their post, like I did with yours, we would be able to see which post they are commenting about or we would be able to see the post is no longer there and has been deleted.

Just to avoid the trolls who are continuously making remarks that are causing this blog to be censored by MOD (BTW, good job MOD). Why doesn't everyone just express their condolences in the guest book hosted by PNJ. At least here the sympathy statements are checked prior to publishing them. This will weed out all of the trolls who are constantly trying to stir up hate and discontent! By the way trolls, negative comments at this time are not acceptable, regardless of how YOU feel. It's not about YOU for a change!

Ray's obituary and guestbook link

http://www.legacy.com/pensacolanewsjour ... D=98777154 (http://www.legacy.com/pensacolanewsjournal/Obituaries.asp?Page=LifeStory&PersonID=98777154)

http://www.biblesociety.ca/free_scriptu ... stes3.html (http://www.biblesociety.ca/free_scriptures/escriptures/ecclesiastes3/ecclesiastes3.html)

Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply.
Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God

[MOD 353]

re:Guest

PostPosted: 11/29/07 18:40:40 Post subject:

?????---what is this all about??????

__________________________________________________ ____

It is about post that have been deleted.

If others who posted opposition to comments made would copy and paste the time and date stamp into their post, like I did with yours, we would be able to see which post they are commenting about or we would be able to see the post is no longer there and has been deleted.
Actually, if you cut and paste or quote a negative post I will delete that post too.

One thing that we all need to understand is that we (ALL of us) are nothing more than sinners saved by the grace of God. If we chose to look at Ray's death through the eyes of judgment or ridicule, then we are missing a key element of life. The reality is that NONE of us "have it all together"...there is no one perfect...no NOT one! When we start down the path of sin, we must realize that sometimes we will all end up further down that path than we first expected. I don't think anyone wakes up one day and says..."let me see how far I can get down the path of destruction today".

We all need a personal relationship with Jesus Christ for our eternal salvation...but we also need someone in our life to hold us accountable, someone that we can share our weaknesses without fear of judgment or having it "leaked" to other people. Someone we can "get real with" and someone that can help us work through our salvation with fear and trembling.

We can't make someone share their life struggles with us...those of us that were friends of Ray are having to deal with the fact that for whatever reason, Ray didn't feel he could share his troubles (because more than once, I have heard people say they did NOT see this coming). I for one DID NOT SEE THIS COMING.

If you want to honor Ray's memory and bring glory and honor to God through this rough storm, then take steps to get to know one another on a personal level. Become the kind of friend to someone that you wish you had in your life. Learn to love people the way God loves them AND the way God loves YOU. It's not something we deserve...it comes through His grace, mercy, forgiveness and love.

Salvation comes by FAITH and not by works (lest any man should boast). If our "good works" can't get us into heaven, then fortunately for all of us, our "bad works" can't keep us out of heaven. By His wounds we are healed!

Amazing love, how can it be...that you my King would die for me...amazing love, I know it's true...it's my joy to honor you, in all I do, I honor you. (lyrics by Chris Tomlin, AMAZING LOVE).

Let's agree to bring honor to God and Ray's family through our posts,
Alan

re:Guest

PostPosted: 11/29/07 18:40:40 Post subject:

?????---what is this all about??????

__________________________________________________ ____

It is about post that have been deleted.

If others who posted opposition to comments made would copy and paste the time and date stamp into their post, like I did with yours, we would be able to see which post they are commenting about or we would be able to see the post is no longer there and has been deleted.
Actually, if you cut and paste or quote a negative post I will delete that post too.



That would be why I suggested copy and paste the time and date stamp. I suppose I could have said copy and paste only the time and date stamp.


I understand your drive to protect the personal interest of those related but the emotional enthusiasm in your post is a bit defensive for a Mod.
People are frustrated and want answers. With out at least the discussion and having some answer, it is easy for those people to assume some political Jason Bourne type conspiracy that is false.

In a sense you are creating the problem you don't want. If you want to delete this post that is fine but I think you should delete your own emotionally driven rants and threats a long with it.

Create a different post then if you're looking for answers or theories. Leave the subject matter alone on this post, as its a place to share in the memories of Ray.
I've been gone from the ECSO and Escambia County for quiet a while now, but it amazes me how some things don't change.

Is somone going to create a new post? I think it needs to be talked about.

I have been watching how many people are viewing this post and its ALOT about 12-15 per minute. I think people are looking for answers. I dont think they will find them here but there is an obvious need for closure.

If you need to discuss it, create your own blog or find a chat room on AOL and chat away. This is not the place to discuss it. The owner's of this site have the right to delete or censor whatever they choose. Read the terms of service if you believe otherwise.

Not a single post on this newest page is about Ray (outside of Mike's link to the Obit). Either shut this post down or get back to what it was designed for! Nothing is being accomplished, it has become disrespectful at this point.

If you need to discuss it, create your own blog or find a chat room on AOL and chat away. This is not the place to discuss it. The owner's of this site have the right to delete or censor whatever they choose. Read the terms of service if you believe otherwise.

You are correct but be careful what you ask for. Do you really want someone to start an entire blog on this situation that is beyond the control of anyone but it's creator? Please realize that anything posted isn't libelous if it's true.
I certainly don't want to see one or what might be on it. I'm scared of what the web address names would be alone.

Let it be here and moderated judiciously so posters can gauge what they'll tolerate by their responses. Sometimes a little control is better than none.

All in all let the guy RIP.

Does anyone know why he did this?

There are only two people who can answer that question of WHY. One is God and the other was Ray. At this point in the grand scheme of things we ain't going to get answers from either one of them. The point is that we as Brothers behind the badge we need to be able to put the bu@@#$%t aside and make sure that we do not have to come together in a show of force like we did today, for the same reason. We all hurt and have our personal demons that haunt us. I for one am not that tough to try and fight them by myself, I will and have let the bi$%hso to speak in me come out and have called other brothers and cried out to them< " Hey man I am hurting real bad and I need an ear to bend." Never once have I been told I do not have time to hear your problems, from a REAL brother. To those of u that got that call a few years back during my shit THANKS it meant a lot to me.
As we how have been in this profession for a while know a Real man will look u in the eyes and tell u exactly what is the truth and what is on his mind. The cowards, criminals, dirt bags and liars will hide in the shadows and make off hand remarks, suck their teeth, roll their eyes, and here hide behind a key board. Real Cops know another Real Cop it is in the way he carries himself.
I guess what this is all meant to say that to those of u who know me and my past history here. If Ican bury the hatchet and try to move forward to make this a place where we can meet in a show of force like today,drink beer, celebrate life, watch our children run and play together and most of all laugh. Then Ray death for WHAT EVER REASON was not in VAIN. I for one and I am sure that there are many more out there who will agree with me. I DO NOT WANT TO HAVE TO MEET AND GREET BY BROTHERS / SISTERS IN A SITUATIUON LIKE LAST NIGHT AND TODAY. LETS JUST END ALL THE BULLSHIT AND SUPPORT EACH OTHER IN THIS TIME OF NEED>> BECAUSE GOD KNOWS WE ALL ARE IN NEED RIGHT NOW> AND THIS NEED IS NOT GOING TO GO AWAY ANY TIME SOON.

Joesph A. Dejoie ECSO 218

http://img75.imageshack.us/img75/4318/raysfuneral001hw5.th.jpg<a class="postlink" href="http://www.ImageShack.us">www.ImageShack.us (http://img75.imageshack.us/my.php?image=raysfuneral001hw5.jpg)" /></a>

[MGilmore251]

http://img75.imageshack.us/img75/4318/raysfuneral001hw5.th.jpg (http://img75.imageshack.us/my.php?image=raysfuneral001hw5.jpg)

[MGilmore251]

Thanks to the Fire Dept's .

http://img75.imageshack.us/img75/4162/raysfuneral005pd2.th.jpg (http://img75.imageshack.us/my.php?image=raysfuneral005pd2.jpg)

http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/5714/raysfuneral009jc9.th.jpg (http://img259.imageshack.us/my.php?image=raysfuneral009jc9.jpg)

Excellent post Joe. Bless you for saying what needed to be said.

Please let all of us who knew and loved Ray begin to heal. Stop asking why and ask your self how can I be of assistance to his family during this difficult time.

[Frank Castle]

Gilmore awesome pic's...any Leo out there will appreciate those...

Orleans, well said Sir.

Mod353 stand your ground .... all the real Leo’s in here have a good idea as to who or whom are asking the stupid questions...

Personally I would expose them....

I would like to thank the SRSO Honor Guard for assisting today... they looked sharp ... thanks also to our ECSO Honor Guard for the 21 gun salute...

To the haters and Politian’s who have tried to cause issues this week...if you are on the outside looking in...You will never understand what has happened this week, and that is truly the difference...

Ray Simmons you will be missed more than you could have ever imagined...

MOD 353 said:

To the poster that wants me gone, go ahead and send Mod1 a message telling him that I have been deleting comments in the RIP Ray Simmons thread. Actually please do it! This forum is owned by individuals and therefore your posts are not protected. They are especially not protected by forum rules being that you are not a registered user.


__________________________________________________ _________

I don't recall anyone saying they wanted you gone. Unless it has been deleted.
Are you responding to:
Posted: 11/30/07 15:32:52 ?

I agree with you 100% Joe. This was a hard one and I do not want to see it happen again.

Actually there was a poster that wanted MOD 353 gone. It appeared that the poster thinks the Mod has been overzealous in deleting posts from this thread.

Thanks

I agree. It's just hard to tell without a reference. I think he'd of done better to just delete the post without the extra comments.

It's hard to tell who he is threatening and if he is perceiving something said out of context, without a reference to the post he is talking about.

You must be that Tjeffers from Pnj.

Real sad when 'one of our own' speaks from behind a computer as an unknown and drags names through the mud in a time and place where it's not needed or appreciated...To air dirty laundry on a public forum and name names there should certainly some courage displayed by those by identifying themselves as they have taken it upon themselves to out others and their families....because you know that the one(s) doing this have no faults or skeletons of their own....And again to do this for a political agenda demonstrates a miserable existence and unhappiness...Not so much anger but rather sadness for stooping to such low levels behind a cloud of secrecy....how brave!...

Would "Law&Order" be your first or last name ?

[MOD 353]

Keep this thread on topic. Do not bring other names into this. I did go back and clean up some of my own comments as I had made some comments that were emotionally driven. I just don't understand how some of you people can come here and try to put Ray's name through the mud, especially knowing his family reads this.

Again, I won't allow any off topic comments or any negative posts to remain. We are also not going to discuss why he did what he did. If you don't like it you are welcomed to go somewhere else and talk about it all day long. It won't happen here.

If you don't like how this thread is being modded then please give Mod 1 a shout and let him know. I have already explained my reasons behind what I am doing and why and he seemed to agree with me on this.

One thing that we all need to understand is that we (ALL of us) are nothing more than sinners saved by the grace of God. If we chose to look at Ray's death through the eyes of judgment or ridicule, then we are missing a key element of life. The reality is that NONE of us "have it all together"...there is no one perfect...no NOT one! When we start down the path of sin, we must realize that sometimes we will all end up further down that path than we first expected. I don't think anyone wakes up one day and says..."let me see how far I can get down the path of destruction today".
We can't make someone share their life struggles with us...those of us that were friends of Ray are having to deal with the fact that for whatever reason, Ray didn't feel he could share his troubles.
______________________

I am Ray's wife's 1st cousin. I would just like to say thank you to everyone who pulled together to honor Ray & his family at his funeral. The respect that was shown for Ray was overwhelming. I have never seen a service of such magnitude & I ,for one, was deeply touched.

This quote I copied from "alan" I think sums everything up. Ray stumbled. And I think that is the only answer that we need. We will never know the "WHY". The only answer is ~ Ray stumbled.

Reguardless of that fact, he was a loving husband, extra ordinary daddy & he was "Uncle Ray" to my 4 yr old daughter. We loved him & we miss him with all of our hearts. Our lives will be forever changed without him. He was a blessing to be around & he could make you laugh like no one else could. Please focus on the good memories you have of Ray & smile while sharing them.

Love in Christ

To Ray's Wifes' first cousin:

Thank you for your post. I haven't seen Ray in several years. I needed to hear from someone close and get confirmation of the man that I knew Ray to be. It makes my soul smile that he was the husband, daddy and family man that I knew he would someday be.

My heart goes out to Summer, Payton and McKenna and to all of you. I know you were a great support and I will always keep you in my prayers.

The ultimate gift is to know that Ray was a saved, Christian man. We will see him again.

Sincerely,
Patti

Ray, you will truly be missed. I am blessed to have had the opportunity to work alongside you for as longs as I did. Rest in peace, brother.
James Johnson

I'm the Mother of Ray's first daughter. I am trying to put together a memory book for our daughter, Payton. Payton will always remember her Daddy but as time goes by her memories will fade. I am asking all of you to take a little time and sit down and write a story about anything POSITIVE with Ray that I can put in a book and have to read to Payton at night when it is bedtime. She loves it when I tell her stories so anything will be great. It doesn't have to include Payton in the story I just want anything funny or sincere that Ray was involved in. For any of you that have any NEGATIVE thoughts about Ray, please keep it to yourself and DON'T send anything. You can email me your stories at thurman_j22@yahoo.com. If anyone has anything special that you think that Payton would enjoy having later in life, please feel free to contact me for that as well. I don't have a lot to give her to remember her Daddy by and would greatly appreciate anything to hold on for her to have later. Thank you all for all of the support that you have offered Payton and me at this time. Ray gave me the GREATEST gift on earth. I will never let him die in Payton's heart. I and most definitely, our daughter will truly miss him.

Jamie

I was wondering if anyone had a more recent picture of Ray? I worked with Ray on the Beach in the mid 90's and want to put a keepsake together as well.

Just Curious as to if the reasons I heard are true......Let the pain ease up first guy....a lot of us are hurting right know!

I mean please. You need to find Jesus and fast.

Just Curious as to if the reasons I heard are true......
Let the pain ease up first guy....a lot of us are hurting right know!


STUPID!!!!

"Let he who is without sin cast the first stone". I never knew there were so many sinless people.

I totally agree. Nobody is perfect, and the past cannot be changed. All that we can do is look to the future, and I am sure we all agree it seems a little bleak without Ray to brighten the day.

I was also wondering does anyone know why there were cameras at the funeral? It was not on the news (which I respect) But the amount of people who loved Ray and showed up at the funeral amazed me. I have never seen so many police cars in one place in my life. I was awe struck at the outpouring of love for Ray. It meant a lot as a friend of Ray and Summer to see he was so loved by so many. Also does anyone know how many people attended the funeral?

I lost a friend some years ago with small children and I was asked to videotape it for them to see when they were older as they were too small to remember. I'm hoping this is why there were cameras there. I hope that Ray's children will get a copy and will see how loved their Dad was.

I don't know Summer, but I wish I did. She has a daunting task ahead of her and I would certainly be there to help her along this most difficult path.

I'm sure that Ray was looking down on the service and had a great big smile on his face. Finally, he realized just how big an impact he made on this world and how many lives he touched in an loving and positive way. I too would like to know how many people were in attendance and how long the procession was.

Sommer is not the only mother of Ray's children. Lets not forget about Payton's mother Jamie at this difficult time either.