JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville community and medical field are mourning the death of Dr. Charles Errington Simmons III, a pediatrician who spent decades caring for North Florida families and mentoring the next generation of healthcare professionals.
Simmons, 74, died July 13. Those who knew him describe him as compassionate, patient, and deeply committed to the people he served.
“He was a gentle soul but a giant in the community,” said Dr. Christina Monford-McNish, a cosmetic and general dentist in Jacksonville who was once Simmons’ patient — and later, his apprentice.
From Patient to Professional
Monford-McNish’s connection to Dr. Simmons began in childhood, when he was her pediatrician. As a high school student, she landed a job at his office through a medical apprenticeship program he created for local students.
The experience, she said, changed her life.
Monford-McNish went on to graduate from Raines High School, Florida A&M University, and the University of Florida before building her career as a dentist in Jacksonville.
“Compassion,” she said, when asked what word first came to mind thinking of Dr. Simmons. “He was such a compassionate physician. I can only hope that I can live up to that — the bedside manner, the patience.”
A Safe Space for the Community
In his final years, Dr. Simmons practiced out of a Jacksonville office that became more than a medical practice. It was a place where the community — particularly Jacksonville’s Black community — found trusted care and a welcoming environment.
His first patients were the children of close friends. That circle grew to encompass the broader community, and with it, a reputation built on health excellence and integrity.
‘You Want Him Taking Care of Your Children’
C. Ronald Belton, a longtime friend of Dr. Simmons, knew him since childhood — even as a Cub Scout. He spoke by phone about the qualities that defined Simmons from the very beginning.
“He was very industrious — he always wanted to do things,” Belton said. “He was a model person. You want him on your team. You want him taking care of your children. He was an outstanding young man.”
A Legacy That Lives On
Monford-McNish said Dr. Simmons represents a standard she hopes others in medicine will strive to meet.
“I can only hope that when we think about life — what is our purpose — I can only hope that I can leave that type of impact,” she said. “He really did move with compassion, care, empathy. Those are the things that I walked away with. He was a real gentle soul.”
Dr. Simmons’ legacy continues through the patients he treated, the students he mentored, and a community that trusted him with its children.