RALPH SIMMONS JR.

Born in Chicago, on the 11th of October, 1932, Ralph Simmons Jr. enlisted in the U.S. Army for 11 years, becoming a sergeant in the Korean War.

He was interested in the theater scene in New York afterwards, but settled for the more secure environment of office work, becoming a legal file supervisor and, later, a creative head of artwork for the magazine Modernismo before setting up his Cycle Press in 1966 with his partner for 43 years, Kirby Congdon, whose work in contemporary poetry Mr. Simmons selflessly promoted throughout their lifetime together.

They moved to Key West in 1986 and gave their time to literary pursuits here and at Fire Island Pines, N.Y.

A diabetic, and suffering from dilated cardiomyopathy, Ralph Simmons died, after having had a stroke two weeks earlier, on Friday, Nov. 6, 2009, at age 77. He is survived by two younger brothers, Edward and Carneil; a sister, Diane; besides his nephew, Henry Sudduth, all in the Chicago area; and his partner, Kirby Congdon.