Olive Sue Smith Simmons, 89, of Ashland, passed away peacefully on Saturday, September 27, 2025. Born on a leap year day, February 29, 1936, Olive brought a special kind of joy to every year she lived. She was the beloved daughter of Arthur and Dora (Brubaker) Smith and grew up on the family farm nestled on the banks of the Katotawa, six miles northeast of Ashland.
Olive attended Montgomery School and was a proud graduate of Ashland High School’s Class of 1954, where she was honored as homecoming queen—a reflection of her warm spirit and kind heart. She went on to serve her community through her work with the Ashland Police Department and the State Highway Patrol.
In 1955, Olive married Harold Simmons. They shared the joy of raising two sons, Doug and Steve, whom Olive cherished deeply. Family remained the center of her life, and she was a devoted mother, loving grandmother, and proud great-grandmother.
Olive was preceded in death by her parents; her son, Doug; and her siblings, Arthur Jr., John Russell “Russ,” Virginia Burns, Mary Keefer, and Doris Smith.
She is survived by her son, Steve (Barb); her daughter-in-law, Betsy; her sisters, Carol (David) Burns and Joan (David) Warner; her brother, George (Virginia) Smith; and her grandchildren, Luke, Vince, Matthew (Heather), and Maggie (David) Lutterus. Olive’s legacy also lives on through her great-grandchildren, Vada Olive and Remy Jo, and her many cherished nieces and nephews—twenty-two in all.
Olive will be remembered for her quiet strength, her sharp wit, and the warmth she extended to everyone she met. Her deep love for family, her grounded wisdom, and her enduring spirit leave a lasting mark on all who knew her.
Friends are invited to join the family for visitation at Trinity Lutheran Church, 508 Center St., Ashland on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, at 10:00 AM. A memorial service will follow at 11:00 AM. Harter Family Funeral Home is honored to serve the Simmons family.
