James A. Simonson, 83 of the Fox Hill section of Plains, Twp., passed away Tuesday evening, June 9, 2015, at the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Plains, Twp.

Born in Plains, he was the son of the late Joseph & Margaret (Howe) Simonson.

Jim was a graduate of Plains Memorial High School and served in the 109th Field Artillery from February 23, 1948 until December 27, 1991, giving him 43 years of service with the Pennsylvania Army National Guard, serving as 1st Sergeant of Battery B. 1st Sergeant Simonson was a survivor of the tragic train accident of September 11, 1950, which killed 33 members of the 109th Field Artillary Battalion while it was enroute to Camp Attebury, Indiana, upon its federalization for the Korean Conflict. Jim served honorably with the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict.

He was employed by Valley Distributing of Laflin as a fork lift operator and last for Pocono Downs, was a member of St. Maria Goretti Church, Laflin, and the Plains American Legion, Joseph E. Conlon, Post 558.

He was preceded in death by his brothers Marvin and John Simonson.

Surviving are his wife the former Marlene Rodeghiero with whom he would have celebrated 57 years of marriage on Sunday, June 14, 2015, son Gary Simonson and daughter Lynne Lukasavage and her husband Robert, all of Plains, grandchildren Jared and Tara, great-grandsons Caleb and Silis, brother Ronald Simonson and his wife Joann, Plains, sisters Carolyn Kearney, Miners Mills and Jessie Harak, Ben Salem, PA, several nieces and nephews.

Funeral will be held Saturday, June 13, 2015 at 9:00 am from the Corcoran Funeral Home, Inc., 20 South Main Street Plains, PA 18705 with a Mass of Christian Burial at 9:30 am in St. Maria Goretti Church, 42 Redwood Drive Laflin, PA 18702 with Monsignor Neil Van Loon, Pastor, Officiating. The Parish Rosary Group will pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet and Rosary in the Church 30 minutes before the Funeral Mass. All are invited to attend. Interment with Military Honors will be held in Memorial Shrine Burial Park, Carverton section of Wyoming. Friends and family may call Friday evening, June 12, 2015 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at the funeral home.