Robert Meldrum Simons October 1, 1957 - March 8, 2026

Robert Meldrum Simons
Son of Morris and Luan Simons
Born: October 1, 1957 in Spanish Fork, Utah
Died: March 8, 2026 in Spanish Fork, Utah

Robert was born and raised in Spanish Fork. He attended and graduated from Spanish Fork High School in 1976. He learned about hard work early in life. As a young man, he worked on the family chicken farm, gathering and processing eggs as well as tending to the chickens. He also worked in the Johnson orchards picking cherries and thinning peaches. Milking cows at the Priority Dairy followed soon after. He was not afraid of hard work, and he had an attention to detail in all that he did.

Once he started construction, he found what he loved doing. He worked as a framer with Kent Jex Homes and learned the framing trade. He later moved to California, where he worked and honed his skills for 5 ½ years. He returned to Utah and worked for Taylor Homes for 10 years, and did many framing projects throughout Utah County. He then went to work for Westland Construction, doing a variety of commercial and civic projects for the last 20 years. In that time, he was asked to work in the new temple in Haiti. He was there for 1 ½ years and had great memories of the work he did and the people that he worked with . He taught them many of the tips and tricks he had learned in his long construction career. With this long beard and hair, he quickly earned the name “Papa Noel” in the Haitian community he was working in. He worked on building churches, schools, large residential projects, credit unions, and various other projects in the Utah County area. He enjoyed seeing what he called “visible progress” and was proud of the projects he worked on. He retired from Westland Construction in July 2024.

Robert was talented in many ways; he loved working on cars and motorcycles. As a teenager, he always had something in the yard with the hood up. Whether it was his 1939 Ford coupe or the GTO or the 1969 Firebird, he was always tinkering around with something. Since retirement, he restored two motorcycles to working conditions. Gardening was also his passion. He loved tending to the plants, and it brought him a lot of joy to enjoy and share the produce he grew in his garden.
His son Terry brought a lot of joy into Robert’s life. He always called him “Little Buddy.” He loved to spend time with him whenever he could. He was very proud of his accomplishments and never missed an opportunity to tell others of the adventures of Terry. His daughter-in-law, Megan, and his grandson, Oscar, were also very beloved by Robert. He looked forward to their visits and made time to go see them whenever he could.

Robert and his partner of 9 years, Jackie Bodenhamer, enjoyed being together and experienced many exciting adventures with one another. Trips to Australia and Hawaii, as well as camping and outdoor trips, were very memorable to them. She stayed with him through his work assignment in Haiti, although it was difficult to be apart. Jackie was an amazing help to him as he discovered that he had cancer; she stood by his side as he battled that awful disease. She dealt with all the things that come with cancer and supported him with great compassion and love. We thank her and all the doctors and nurses that worked so diligently to help him in his fight for life.

He is survived by his partner Jackie Bodenhamer, his son Michael Terry (Megan) Simons, his grandson Oscar Simons, his brothers and sisters Fred (Kathy) Simons, Glen (Linda) Simons, Karen (Paul) Christensen, Kent (Deanna) Simons, Sharon (Mark) Young, Gary (Monica) Simons, Blaine (Lisa) Simons, Lisa (Dennis) McGraw, and Jennifer (Jason) Harden.
He was preceded in death by: his parents, Morris and Luan Simons and two brothers, Gregory Simons and Grant (Dawnetta) Simons.

A viewing will be held in his honor on Thursday, March 12, 2026, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Walker Funeral Home, located at 187 South Main St., Spanish Fork, Utah. An additional viewing will be held on Friday, March 13, 2026, from 9:45 – 10:45 a.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, located at 1552 East 750 South, Spanish Fork, Utah. His funeral service will immediately follow at the same location, beginning at 11:00 a.m.

Big Brother

I have a big brother and Robert’s his name.

He has a very nice beard and a long, flowing mane.

I have learned many things from this brother of mine.

His knowledge and talents were more than just fine.

From grade school to high school and then on to career.

He didn’t seem to mind that his little brother was near.

Tending chickens, picking fruit, milking cows, and construction.

When it came to hard work, he didn’t need much instruction.

I’ve seen him do things with a nail gun, a square, and a saw.

That left my mouth wide open as I watched him in awe.

He’s been my protector, my teacher, my mentor, and friend.

My respect and admiration, truly goes on without end.

His journey and battle in this life have been cut fairly short.

It’s time for my brother to return to Heaven and report.

I know when I return to that realm, I won’t have to wait.

Because, Robert, my brother, will be there to open the gate.

By Glen Simons