(This week The Columbian-Progress spotlights Municipal Court Work Program Supervisor and Bailiff Kirby Simmons.)
Q: When and where were you born?
A: I was born here in Marion County Jan. 8, 1953.
Q: Where did you attend school?
A: I went to Improve for 10 years and finished at Marion County High School, which is now East Marion. I took some classes at Forrest General Hospital and worked there as an ER technician.
Q: Where all have you lived?
A: I’ve lived here all my life.
Q: Where do you work? Tell us about your job/company.
A: I am the Municipal Court Work Program supervisor. When Justin McKenzie was still here as a captain, he started the work program and placed me over it. We work with people who have fines but can’t pay them. We give them the opportunity to do the work program, and I take them out to do weed eating, mowing and things like that. Also, I’m the bailiff for the Municipal Court two days a month and work security detail for board meetings at City Hall.
Q: What led you to your profession?
A: I had friends in law enforcement, and it was always something I kind of wanted to do. I first started out as the bailiff, and it just led from there. I started working security detail, then it kind of fell in place working inmates from the prison before we started the work program.
Q: What do you enjoy most about your job?
A: Seeing progress happening and giving people opportunity to try to better themselves. That’s always been pleasing to me. It’s rewarding to take these people and work them then see them work to better their own lives.
Q: What was your first job?
A: When I was in high school I worked with my dad, who was a carpenter here in town. I worked with him cleaning up on the job site.
Q: Who is the person who has been most influential in your life?
A: I would say my grandmother, Mar Simmons, because she was so inspiring and a woman who believed in God. I could walk over to her house and hear her talking in the garden out back, and I’d go ask her who she was talking to. She would say “I’m talking to the Lord.”
Q: If you could relive one day from your life, which day would you choose?
A: I would love to relive this because it was always fun: When I was a child all of the cousins would get together at family reunions, and we would go out to the corn crib and hay barn to gather up corn cobs and have corn cob fights, throwing them at each other. We did it until one of the young ones got hit in the head, and it was all over then.
Q: Do you have children?
A: No, but I have five dogs and two cats.
Q: If you could have anything for your last meal on earth, what would it be?
A: Oysters on the half shell.
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
A: I’ve always wanted to go to the Grand Canyon and have never been. I don’t care too much about traveling overseas.
Q: What hobbies do you like to do in your spare time?
A: Canoeing is a big passion of mine. I used to go quite often on Black Creek. All of the friends who go canoeing with me, we’re going to try to go this summer. I love camping, too. Caving was a big thing I loved to do. We used to go in Arkansas to the Ozarks during the summer. We would spend a week up there in Stone County, and there are a lot of wild caves there. It was really, really exciting — dangerous but fun.
Q: What do you enjoy about living and working in Columbia and Marion County?
A: I love Columbia because it’s my hometown. I love the people here and the people I work with. It’s rewarding and worthwhile to come to work. This is my second family here at the police department.
Q: If you could have lunch with anyone from your life or history, who would it be and why?
A: My dad and mom, Shelby and Bertha, because they were very inspiring to me. If it hadn’t been for my daddy and my mother, I wouldn’t be where I am today.
Q: Would you rather read a good book or watch a good movie and why?
A: Watch a good movie because I never really got into reading. Watching a movie you can get into it better because you feel like you’re there when it’s happening.
Q: What moment in your life has had the biggest impact on you?
A: The biggest impact on my life was when I accepted Jesus Christ as my savior.
Q: What would be the No. 1 thing on your Bucket List?
A: The one thing I want to do is grow old happy.
Q: If you could describe your morals in three words, what would they be?
A: Honesty, faithful and dedication
Q: How would you like to be remembered?
A: I would like to be remembered as being an honest man.
— Joshua Campbell
