New Orleans business owner dies of mesothelioma
William Simmons – the founder of Simmons Plating and Grinding Co. in New Orleans, Louisiana – died of mesothelioma at the age of 84. Mesothelioma is a rare but serious form of cancer caused by asbestos exposure.
Simmons had served with the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II. Upon his homecoming, he used a $75 loan from his uncle to start a chrome-plating business. He grew his company into a multi-million dollar business with clients that included General Electric and many other businesses along the Gulf Coast and the lower Mississippi River. He gold-plated such disparate items as the altar at a local church and Fats Domino’s Cadillac before his company transitioned to mainly industrial work.
A funeral was held for Simmons on Thursday, August 20.
For the full story, go to NOLA.com.
