Margaret Browning Simons

Margaret was born to Wellburn and Willie Watt Browning on March 26, 1923. Her parents owned their family farm in North Madison County near Spring Creek. She was the second of five children and attended school at Oakfield Elementary School and Spring Creek High School. It was during her time at Spring Creek High School, she met James Simons, the love of her life. After his graduation, the war was on and James joined the US Navy to serve in World War II. Margaret graduated the following year and went to work at the defense plant in Milan to help in the war efforts. On a visit home for James, they married on November 9, 1943.

Oen son, Jimmie, and two daughters, Onnie and Virginia, were born to this union over the next few years. James achieved the rank of Chief Petty Officer before his six year enlistment was complete and together the couple decided to make serving in the Navy a career for James but really them both. They enjoyed duty stations on the east coast from Florida to Maine, and on the west coast from California to Whidbey Island along with some time spent in Oklahoma and Tennessee, the "inland" Naval Stations of the United States.

Two years before the couple completed twenty years in the Navy, God called James to ministry in The United Methodist Church. This meant the family would move from their retirement home in Kerrville, TN, and that James would need to continue his studies for ministry and the family would be moving to different communities in the conference. At one point, four of the five family members were in full time college. Margaret never wavered in her dedication to James' spiritual calling.

The couple served the Memphis Conference in ten assignments in West Tennessee before James' failing health called for a second retirement, this time it was from the ministry. During these years of James' service to churches, Margaret returned to school and became a Licensed Practical Nurse at Humboldt Hospital, Arlington Children's Developmental Center, and at Jackson Nursing Home.

In each of James' pastoral calls and assignments, Margaret was a totally supportive pastor's wife. Her focus was on supporting him and the family with unwavering faith, courage, and conviction with every challenge and every change.

In 1984, upon retirement from the ministry, James and Margaret chose Jackson for their retirement home. They moved many times and had lived in 33 different homes at that point. They enjoyed family and friends in the area and yet loved to travel at every opportunity. They covered the United States and Canada to explore all the areas they were sent as a young Navy couple and to check out the many places they had not yet seen. She esepcially enjoyed many of the National Park,

After 55 years of marriage, James died in 1998. Margaret continued to live in Jackson, for 25 more years. She also continued to travel and make family and extended family a priority.

Margaret was preceded in death by her son, Jimmie, his wife, Leta, and grandson, Scot.

She is survived by her daughters, Onnie and Virginia; four grandchildren, Micci, Todd, James, and Casey; and four great grandchildren, Garren, Silas, Jack, and Olivia.

She was active in the Browning bunch and was matriarch of the Simons Family Reunion. Special attention and support was given by Medina families of Patsy Rodgers, Helen Smith, Johnnie Simons, and Tim Simons.

Following a private interment at Hopewell Cemetery in Medina, the family will hold a memorial service in her honor at New Hopewell Church, 500 West Church Avenue, Medina, Tennessee 38355 at 11:00 am.