 They responded to his home and found Simmons dead of what appeared to have been natural causes. There were no signs of foul play and nothing to spark an investigation. Simmons turned 76 on Friday. Alex Stone, ABC News, Los Angeles. You know what they say, of course, the bad news in threes. Also passing over the weekend, the famous Dr. Ruth. The straight-talking sex therapist with her stern German accent helped soften the way Americans felt and dealt with the conversation of sex.