SIMONS, CHARLES EDWIN (1906~1992) Charles Edwin Simons, journalist, petroleum industry executive and Texas Highway Commission member and chairman, was born November 2, 1906, in Lafayette, Indiana, to Charles Adams and Myrtle Mae (Wetherill) Simons. In 1925, he started a career as a news reporter and editor and worked for newspapers in Lima and Springfield, Ohio and Huntington, West Virginia. In October 1929, Simons returned to Ohio and worked as a Wire Editor and Capitol Correspondent for the Associated Press in Columbus. Also during this time, he married Miss Mary Amanda Yeazell on October 19, 1929, in Kenton, Ohio.

In January 1930, Simons moved to Austin, where he continued to work as a Capitol correspondent for the Associated Press. However, in June 1936, he was hired by the Texas Good Roads Association to organize and edit their new magazine, "Texas Parade." He also served as the Association's public relations and legislative director until June 1942, when he became executive vice president.

During Simons' tenure with the Good Roads Association, he became one of the most influential promoters for Texas' highway system. In 1939, he worked with the Legislature in successfully recapturing millions of dollars of gasoline taxes that had been diverted from highway construction and maintenance. Those funds later provided the financial support for the Farm-to-Market road system, which he helped create. Simons also organized and directed the successful campaign for a Constitutional Amendment that required three-fourths of the motor fuel taxes and all of the motor vehicle registration fees to be used for highway construction and maintenance.

In January 1947, Simons went to work for the Texas Mid-Continent Oil & Gas Association. As the executive vice president, he was named executive director of the General Gas Committee, which was organized to help control the field price of natural gas. Simons and the Committee lobbied Congress to pass the Harris-Fulbright Bill to exempt independent natural gas producers from the jurisdiction of the Federal Power Commission. After the Bill's passage, President Eisenhower vetoed it.

Aside from Simons' work for Texas highways and oil, he also worked in numerous other arenas. He was the organizing president of the Texas Aeronautical Association, managed Coke Stevenson's successful 1942 campaign for Governor, served as the Secretary of the State Democratic Executive Committee, and was a member and vice chairman of the Dallas County Democratic Committee. He also served as a 1960 and 1968 Presidential elector, was the organizing director and life member of the Texas Tourist Council and was Chairman of the Texas Right to Work Committee.

Simons also served the State of Texas in numerous capacities. From 1945 to 1946, he worked to pass a Constitutional Amendment to establish a retirement system for state employees. After it was passed by the Legislature, he again led the campaign to get it adopted. In 1952, he worked to create the Texas Research League, which later became one of the nation's most prestigious governmental issues research groups. From 1957 to 1958, Simons served as a member of the Hale-Aikin School Study Committee. Established by the Legislature, the Committee was instructed to revise and improve the public secondary school system. He also served as chairman of the study's Finance Sub-Committee. From 1971 to 1978, he served as a member of the Texas Highway Commission. Two of those years were spent as chairman.

After leaving the Commission, Simons continued his involvement in community and state affairs, until his death on December 25, 1992. Because of his service to the State of Texas, he was buried in the Texas State Cemetery three years later.