Fred Geiser Simmen, 87, died Dec. 10, 2012, at Indian River Medical Center, Vero Beach.
He was born in Rahway, N.J., and lived in Vero Beach for 13 years, coming from Kentucky Lake in Marshall County, Ky.
He was an engineer in major ceramic plants in Trenton, N.J., East Liverpool, Ohio, and Mayfield, Ky., and then was a consultant to factories in South Korea.
He was employed by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization in Papua, New Guinea, to develop that nation’s ceramics industry.
He was a flight cadet with the Navy and then a boatswain’s mate stationed in Guam during World War II.
He received his bachelor of science degree in ceramic engineering from Rutgers University, class of 1950.
He attended the Riverside Church of Sebastian and was a volunteer guide at the McLarty Treasure Museum at Sebastian Inlet State Park.
Survivors include his son, Kenneth S. Simmen II of Vero Beach; daughters, Leslie Miller of Bayside, N.Y., and Joy Hamburger of Ridgewood, N.J.; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his first wife, Alyce; second wife, Shirley; daughter, Hope Simmen; and sister, Joyce Little.
A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Dec. 15 at Riverside Church Assembly of God, Sebastian.
A guestbook is available at www.strunkfuneralhome.com.
