AASU community mourns loss of former instructor

Friends say Sabrina Simmons was passionate, vibrant, encouraging and caring. They call her a mother, wife, teacher and artist.

The 39-year-old mother of two died Aug. 21 from injuries sustained in an automobile accident.

Once a part-time digital photography instructor at AASU, Sabrina was the wife of Jack Simmons of the Language, Literature and Philosophy Department. The two met in New Orleans, where they married in 1993. They would have celebrated their 17th wedding anniversary this week, said Elizabeth Howells, associate professor of English at AASU.

"She and Jack were such a love story," Howells said. "When you were with them, you knew how much they loved each other."

"It's amazing the network of people who are profoundly saddened by this," she said.

Members of the AASU faculty described Simmons as having a knack for relating with others.

Ana Torres, an associate professor of Spanish at AASU, said Simmons' outgoing personality even shined through cultural barriers.

"Even being from another country I felt a click immediately," Torres said. "Sometimes, it takes time for people to get to know you, but she had that talent –gift – of connecting with people no matter where they were from. They feel welcome and accepted."

Friends also spoke of Simmons' creativity.

"I remember we were sitting on the back porch drinking tea and talking about writing, and I thought, ‘This is great – I found someone I can talk about writing and share a passion for writing with," said Assistant Professor of English Monica Rausch.

Writing was an integral part of Simmons' life. She worked in editorial capacities for Skirt! Magazine and Connect Savannah. Simmons was working on a memoir and several creative non-fiction stories, Rausch said.

Sabrina Simmons was also a photographer who took pictures of landscapes, events, and children and families.

"Students learned a lot about telling stories through photography from her," said Arts, Music and Theatre Department Head Tom Cato, discussing Simmons' time as a photography teacher at AASU. "She was a very lovely person in her dedication to students."

According to Howells, Jack Simmons doesn't want anyone to spend money on flowers. He has requested that, in lieu of flowers, people may make donations to Savannah-Chatham Citizen Advocacy, a volunteer group with which Sabrina was heavily involved.

The most pertinent way to celebrate Simmons' life, Howell's said, is to live charitably.

"Anything anyone does to be a good person and to help the world around them keeps Sabrina in memory," she said.