BELLOWS FALLS, Vt. – Carroll “Soupy” Simonds, 79, passed away with his children at his side on Oct. 4, 2022, at Sterling House in Bellows Falls, Vt. Old friends and family visited him throughout that day.
Soupy loved working for the Village and was proud of the work he was involved in, in and around the Village. His favorite was plowing the sidewalks all over the Village. All the kids in the Village would throw snowballs at his sidewalk plow and he thought it was fun. In his retirement years, he enjoyed working at the Rockingham Meeting House. He seemed to know everyone and couldn’t go anywhere in the area without having a long conversation with at least five people.
He was predeceased by his father, mother, brother, sister, and a stepbrother and stepsister. He is survived by his daughter, Kristi Chesley, son, Michael Simonds and wife Samantha Simonds, and five grandchildren, Nidia Simonds, Jacob Chesley, Kiana Chesley, Matthew Chesley, and Sarah Chelsey.
Soupy was born in Bellows Falls in 1943 and grew up in Saxtons River, Vt. The son of Earl Simonds of Saxtons River and Alice Kerr, f/k/a Simonds (maiden name Bingham) of Athens, Vt. He graduated Bellows Falls High School in 1964. Soupy was drafted into the U.S. Army and served in Germany during Vietnam. After returning home, he married and began working for the Village of Bellows Falls Maintenance Department, where he worked for 36 years until his retirement. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, target shooting, and collecting coins.
Soupy was everyone’s friend and was known for just being nice to everyone he met.
The family will hold a Celebration of Life at the Moose Family Center in Bellows Falls on Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022, from 1–3 p.m. Family and friends are welcome to come and share memories. In lieu of flowers, the family is asking for donations to Our Place Drop-In Center, 6 Island Street, Bellows Falls, VT 05101.