50-Year-Reunion

Robert “ Bob ” Day Simmons, Jr. 6165 Laurel Fork Road, Rocky Gap, Virginia 24366 (678) 524 - 0949 May 25

Left BHS to join United States Navy to become a diver. Already a certified NAUI diver, I was enticed by the Navy recruiter and the SEALS training video. My former diving instructor had informed me that retired Navy divers were currently making a fortune doing deep diving on oil rigs and such. Unfortunately, this plan did not work out, so I used my GI Bill to educate myself. I began attending college at the University of Hawaii. I joined a local Dive Club and became PADI certified also and went diving twice weekly. Majoring in Oceanography was too much physics and math for me. But I found a love for Botany and Biology, and I also desperately missed home and my true Love, Jeanne, so I transferred to Tennessee to study Forestry and be close to home. From there I even wanted to come closer, so I transferred to Bluefield State -- hoping to get an associate degree in accounting, as my mother always loved accounting, so I thought I would give it a go. That didn ’ t work out, so I transferred back to the University of Tennessee to continue studying Forestry. My Forestry Advisor at UT informed me that the jobs I wanted would require a degree from either Yale or CAL, so I transferred to CAL. Things began great at CAL. I learned how to build bicycles from an Olympic Cyclist and built my own bike. I rode my bike all over the Bay Area and sailed all over the Bay on a 19 - footer. During the second quarter of school, I realized Forestry was too industry - intensive for me, and I was sorely missing home again. I transferred to WVU for their Rec and Parks program; a program CAL did not have. Great to be in Morgantown, loved my time there. GO ‘ EERS !!! I did my internship at Pipestem State Park, 1985 - 86, pursuant to my Rec and Parks degree, found government regs and paperwork were more than I wanted to deal with, so the search was on again. On the way to Daytona for Spring Break in ‘86, we stopped in Atlanta for food and gas, and I saw an ad for the Atlanta School of Massage, the idea of doing massage for a living really resonated. When I got back to WVU having over 200 hours of credit, I petitioned the Board of Regents for a degree. Got my R.B.A. On to Atlanta for Massage School. I found a job at Life Grocery as weekend manager and produce purchaser while attending the Atlanta School of Massage at night. In ‘89 after graduation, I was recruited by a successful chiropractor to work in his offices, worked there for five years with multiple other chiropractors, a few doctors and at The Sporting Club. After developing a substantial clientele, I moved out on my own to fulfill my business plan from school -- doing house calls exclusively. This I ’ ve done for the last 30+ years … Practicing Neuromuscular Bodywork for people in the comfort of their own home.

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