Mary Simmons

Services for Mary Ruth Price Simmons, 93, of Tyler, will be held on Tuesday, September 21, 2010, 2:00 PM at Green Acres Baptist Church with former minister, Dr. Paul Powell officiating. Burial will follow at Cathedral in the Pines Cemetery in Tyler, Texas under the direction of Stewart Family Funeral Home. Mrs. Simmons passed away Friday, September 17, 2010, at her home with her family by her side. Mrs. Simmons was born May 12, 1917 in Italy, Texas to J. Collie and Grace (Thomas) Price. She attended local schools and graduated from Mary Hardin Baylor College in 1940 with a Bachelors of Science degree in Elementary Education. She had fond memories of her first teaching job in a one-room schoolhouse in Plum Grove. Her teaching career spanned more than 40 years in several East Texas towns. She retired from teaching in 1979. Mary Ruth became engaged to (Andrew) Van Simmons of Kerens, while he was in navigator training in the Army Air Corps. He served in the 8th Army Air Corps, 306th Bomb Group, 423rd Squadron, as a navigator on B 17’s, and was shot down on April 17, 1943 near Bremen, Germany, on his 18th bombing mission. He was in prison camp for more than two years, liberated by Gen. Patton’s army in May 1945, and returned home to claim his bride. They were married in June 1945. Mrs. Simmons served as an 8th Service Command volunteer for two years during the war. Mr. Simmons’ job with Exxon (formerly Humble Oil and Refining Co.) took the family to Houston, Palestine, Athens, Richardson, Henderson and Tyler. Mrs. Simmons was a long time member of Green Acres Baptist Church, Care and Share Class, the Bodies Reborn Exercise Class and was a volunteer at KVNE and PATH. She was also a member of the Smith County Retired School Personnel Association and the Exxon Annuitants Club. She was preceded in death by her husband of 40 years, Van Simmons, her sister Katherine Price and her brother, Joe C. Price. Mary Ruth is survived by her loving family including her brother, Frank Price and wife Beth of DeSoto; sister, Gene Harris of Temple; sons, Warren, Larry and wife Becky, and Donald and wife Larkin, all of Tyler; grandchildren, David Simmons and wife Kristi of Rockwall, Jenny Ackerman and husband Mark of Fort Myers, FL., Drew Simmons and wife Kelly of Burlington, KY., Ginger Peterson and husband Paul of Tyler, Price and Jean Simmons of Tyler and Preston Simmons of Quanah; great-grandchildren, Kaleb and Kara Simmons, and Rebecca, Julia and David Ackerman; and her loving and devoted caregivers, Leona Jones, Ira Scott, Mary McKenzie, Glory Thompson and Martha Hayter. Pallbearers will be David Simmons, Drew Simmons, Price Simmons, Preston Simmons, Ken Price, Gary Price, Ron Harris and Woody Wood. The family will receive friends from 1:00 – 2:00 PM (1 hour prior to the service) on Tuesday, September 21, 2010, in the Chapel Parlor of Green Acres Baptist Church. If desired, memorials in honor of Mary Ruth Simmons may be made to the Hospice of East Texas Foundation, 4111 University Blvd., Tyler, Texas 75701, PATH, 402 W. Front Street, Tyler, Texas 75702 or Wounded Warriors Project at WWP National Processing Center, P.O. Box 758516, Topeka, Kansas, 66675-8516.

Mary Simmons

May 12, 1917 - September 17, 2010