Janet Margaret Simmons

Janet McGee Simmons passed from this life May 6, 2011. She was a beloved wife, mother and friend. She passed away at her home with her husband and son Jeff at her side

Janet was born February 14, 1923 in Jamestown, NY to Edward and Jenny McGee. She is preceded in death by her parents, brothers and sisters. She is survived by her husband of 65 years, Richard, and their children David M. Simmons, Kathi Thompson and husband Rocky, Jennie Parrish and husband Ben and their children Marc, Hannah and Richie, Donald Simmons and wife Lisa and their children Rachael, Ansley and Reed, Jeff Simmons and wife Connie and his daughter Danielle Larned, Richard Simmons, Jr and his partner Jeannie Wells.

Visitation for Janet will be Monday, May 9 from 5:00 to 7:00pm at Hillcrest Funeral Home, Highway 80, Haughton, La. A funeral mass will be held on Tuesday, May 10 at 2:00pm at St. Jude’s Catholic Church, Bossier City, La, officiated by Father Pike Thomas.

The family would like to express their appreciation to the staff of Odyssey Hospice for their compassion and devoted care for Janet over the past two years. Also, to all the wonderful ladies who gave Mrs. Simmons their love and care, especially Barbara Washington, Miriam Higginbodham, Esther Richardson, Cindy Hollenshead , Gwen Landers, and Cathra Howard.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to Alzheimer’s Association or charity of choice.

You may share your thoughts online with the family at www.hillcrestmemorialfh.com

We would like to thank you all for being here today. We know that many of you are here because you knew our mother and will miss her humor, charisma and affection and that others of you are here in support for her children and our father. Because of this, we would like to share some of the charm that was mom. Please forgive us if we ramble on, but she was just too wonderful to sum up in a paragraph or two.

The best thing we can say about our mother is that she lived. She lived life to the fullest, like no one else could live life. She loved every minute of her life. She loved being a single woman in

Washington, she loved being a young wife, she loved being a mother, she loved being a friend. She and dad were the perfect role model for what marriage and family should be. After 65 years, it melted your heart to see Dad go in each night and give Mom a big ol’ smooch before going up to bed.

If we could have a table with memorabilia that might describe our mom, we would have the following:

First, pictures of her family. Family meant everything to mom. Being a mother was one of her defining characteristics, one she inherited from her own mother, Jennie McGee. Although it took her a while to get started with her own, with a little intercession from her nun friends, here we are. Our home was a home where everyone was welcome. The dinner table always had a place set for “Cransom Taylor”. Who was that guy? Probably no one but there was a place set for him and if anyone showed up in the middle of the meal, the place was theirs.

Christmas was a special time for mom. On Christmas Eve, our house was bustling with excitement and anticipation. Mom and Dad had open house and everyone was invited….and everyone came. It went on until it was time to go to midnight mass. And someone would always ask “mom, what time does midnight mass start?” When it came to “Santa”, she made sure that each of her 6 children had the same number of presents that equaled the same value , a trait that I learned well. She even wrote out a list, and at the bottom of it was written, “if found, return to Janet Simmons” with her home address and phone number included. And there were even a few years where she wrapped all the presents and wrote what the present was on the back of the tag so she could check it off her list. Somehow we discovered it, and knew every present we were getting before Christmas morning. That didn’t last long.

Next on our table would be a rosary. Mom was a faith filed woman. Saint Anthony got quite a work out at our house. If something was lost, he was going to find it. In fact, Jennie called on him yesterday—and he was there. So did the rosary. It wasn’t unusual to find mom out at the pool with her toes in the water, praying that we didn’t need a new pump. Mom went to noon mass every day. However, she was always five minutes late because she had to watch the end of her favorite soap opera, Young and the Restless. She loved Victor Newman. But she would make up the time after mass by staying and praying a novena or saying the rosary for a friend or friend of a friend in need. Fortunately she didn’t burn down the church from lighting all those candles. It is a strong possibility that we were the reason she was lighting them.

Next on our table would be a movie ticket stub. Mom loved a good romance. Pretty people, in big houses that lived happily ever after, maybe she thought of them as reflection of her own life. Not a week went by that mom didn’t go to the movies. I remember Kathi and I thinking how sad sitting in a movie all by yourself, but, this too is another trait I have inherited and now my sweet Hannah thinks it is so sad to sit in a movie by yourself. Little did we know at the time that it was a great escape from the chaos of raising six kids.

The table wouldn’t be complete without a few credit cards. Mom loved to shop. If she wasn’t at the movies, you could find her at the mall. I think our first words were “Charge It”. (sorry Dad) I always thought it was amazing how every store clerk knew her by name when she walked in. It wasn’t unusual to be walking through Dillard’s and hear,”Mrs. Simmons, come over and see the pictures of my new grandbaby” or for one of the sales ladies from Ruth’s to call and let mom know that they just received an outfit that would be just perfect for her. However, she was never too quick to remove the tags from her latest purchase. She would usually wear it once with the tags tucked in just to make sure she really liked it.

Our table should include some sunscreen. Mom loved spending time at the lake or in the backyard by the pool with the family and friends. But heaven forbid you get her hair wet. Just ask Greg Tatum who made the mistake of skiing too close to the house boat one Sunday and splashing water on her. Although, there was that evening, after one too many adult beverages, that she and a few friends went down the slide into the pool at midnight, fully clothed.

And last, mom’s gold lame’ cigarette case. At the end of the day, you would find mom and dad out on the patio or down in the basement watching Wheel of Fortune wrapping up their day with a good toddy and a cigarette. But don’t worry, according to mom she didn’t really smoke because she didn’t inhale. Or might find her up in the living room jitterbugging to Frank.

It is rather appropriate that we chose the symbol of a table to remember mom. The dining room table at our house was the place for family and friends to come together , lingering hours after the meal, with shoes kicked off underneath, trading stories and laughs. And just like mom, she did it again. She got her family back to that table for Mother’s Day on Sunday.

To mom’s grandchildren—you’ll never know how much joy you brought to Gramma Jan’s life. Let her love and spirit for living live inside of you. Speak of her often.

And to David, Don, Jeff and Rick, how lucky are we……we are the only six people in the world that get to say that this wonderful woman is our mom.