Ashley Karen Simmons Hotz passed away on Monday, August 29, 2022, at her home in Jefferson County, Fla., at age 79.
She was born in 1943 in Pa., to the late CDR Andrew K. Simmons, Navy (Ret.) and the late Olivia M Pilcher (nee Polidor). She leaves behind her daughter, Aileen Dimery (Chicago), her husband of 36 years Richard Hotz (Monticello, Fla.), her brothers Mark R. Simmons (Port St Lucie, Fla.) and Andrew K. Simmons, Jr. (Oakland Park, Fla.), her step father, Bart Pilcher (Sanford Fla.) and half siblings Diana Wagner and Roy A. Simmons along with several half sibling on the Pilcher side of the family. She was preceded in death by her brothers James Forrestal Simmons and Louis Marc Simmons.
Ashley attended International School Institut auf dem Rosenberg-St. Gallen, Switzerland, and Schule Schloss Spetzgart, Germany.
Ashley started her career as an actress in NYC, and then in Chicago. Tennessee Williams, a friend and longtime Key West neighbor, saw her perform there in his one act play, "This Property is Condemned,” where she received three standing ovations. Williams told her she could have a great career as an actor when she learns to “project her voice.”
Ashley did learn to project her voice not as an actor, but as a writer, muse, friend, mom, and environmental activist. A Renaissance woman of the 20th century, Ashley was, at different times in her long and colorful life, an actor, stage manager, photographer, journalist, waitress, nanny for his son and assistant to the William Hurt, campaign manager, property manager at her homes in Key West, science writer and ran five successful businesses. The last being Country Mile Computers in Monticello, Fla. where she worked with her beloved husband and partner Richard.
Ashley deeply loved people, animals, and nature. She hated the environmental and human damage caused by organophosphates and other toxic chemicals and was an avid writer and activist for Environmental and Social issues. She spent nine years working on research with scientists, doctors and other researchers on Gulf War Illness. Most of her findings ended up in the final congressional report (Presidential Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses) earning her great respect as a researcher and editor in the scientific community.
Stan Getz, Aileen’s Godfather, and close family friend, introduced Ashley to Key West, Fla. In 1968, she bought a large property where she raised her daughter. Their home at Caroline and Ann Street was a regular meeting place and often a temporary residence for many of the writers and musicians who flocked to the Keys in the early 1970’s. She and her daughter were part of Jimmy Buffett’s social circle at that time and have the distinction of being members of the “Mandible Club,” started by Jimmy Buffett and writer Tom McGuane. This was a group of friends that included the, then unknown musician, Jim Buffett aka Sgt. Barko, Tom McGuane aka Capt. Beserko and "my daughter Aileen Dimery was Kewpie Pie.” Ashley was the “Flash Queen.” “We did wonderful things to make us all laugh.”
Ashley was also active in politics and the Key West community, where she met Richard, her loving husband and business partner of 36 years. Always an environmentalist, Ashley did not use chemical pesticides. Through no fault of her own, she was forced to leave her home at 223 Ann Street in Key West in1994 after long-term exposure to low levels of organophosphate pesticides. She became severely ill and almost died. She had become severely chemically sensitive, a condition from which she never recovered.
She and Richard also grew and sold organic persimmons, Meyer lemons, and blueberries on their 21-acre Florida farm in Jefferson County.
Ashley was a brilliant and beautiful woman, a hard worker, a gifted artist and activist. She will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.
Ashley K Simmons Hotz
A short synopsis of her life.
July 13, 1943 to August 29, 2022
Ashley had quite a life before I met her in Key West and married her. She said they were some of the happiest times in her life, surrounded by people she loved and who loved her. These are some of her friends from that time in her life. Stan Getz (introduced Ashley to Key West), Jimmy Buffet (Stayed in her “back house” on the corner of (223) Ann Street and (525) Caroline Street before he became famous), Kieth Sykes (stayed with Ashley and Jimmy Buffet in Key West in her house), Shel Silverstein (Ashley introduced him to Key West), Lady Edith and Al Amsterdam of Key West, Robert Rivas (first amendment lawyer), Basil Talbot (Chicago Tribune), Hunter Stockton Thompson (met in Key West), Orin South (introduced Ashley to Dr. McGregor Smith), Dr. McGregor (Mac) Smith Jr. (Life Lab, Miami Dade College), Marcelus (Mark) Meeks (Lawyer, Chicago), DeeVon and Craig Quirolo (Reef Relief), Jeff D. Gautier (State Attorney, Key West), Dink Bruce of Key West, Mary Spottswood, Jack Spottswood, and Farni (Fawni) Spottswood of Key West, William Hurt (NY - his personal assistant during and after the filming of Gorky Park), Shelly Winters, and Tom McGuane, Becky McGuane, Peter Fonda (New York), Janette Sherman (a medical doctor and a toxicologist), Jill and Philip Caputo (Key West), Katy Hoover (Doctor in Key West). I was only able to meet a few of them.
When she was younger, Ashley played the leading role in the Tennessee Williams play "This property is Condemned” in Chicago and received 3 standing ovations. Tennessee Williams, a friend and neighbor in Key West, told her she could have a great career as an actress, but "you need to learn to project your voice."
Ashley’s IQ was 183. The people giving the test were concerned that there was an error so they had her take it again the next day. The first test showed an IQ of 182 and the second showed an IQ of 184 so they compromised and called it 183. She was and always will be an amazing person I got to call my wife and best friend.
After we married, we traveled extensively due to my job. We returned to Key West and lived at 223 Ann Street. We started three successful businesses. During our time there she became personally involved in getting Ross Perot to run for president and in getting him on the ballot in all 50 states. We had to leave Key West after she became severely ill and almost died from long term exposure to low levels of organophosphate pesticides from our neighbor in the connected “front house.” She was never quite well after that. We came to Jefferson County in 1995, moved onto 21 acres and started a successful computer service company (Country Mile Computers) of which she was the president and a farm where we raised and sold organically grown blueberries, Meyer lemons, and persimmons. We started building a house together (still a work in progress),
She had been very ill for the past 8 years and took a turn for the worse about three years ago and passed away on August 29th. She leaves a daughter, Aileen Dimery, myself, and her brothers Mark Simmons and Andy Simmons. She was my loving wife and business partner for 36 years.
She was brilliant, an artist, and an activist. She will be greatly missed by myself and many others who knew and loved her.
-Richard Hotz