Wanda Sue Simons

Sue was born in Sallisaw, OK on April 19th, 1935. She graduated from Sallisaw high school in 1953, and then married her army sweetheart, Walter Simons on June 7th, 1953. Together, they raised two beautiful children, Eddie Simons, and Holly Simons, and created memories for 57 years until Walter’s passing in 2010.

This is their “how they met story”, and it is worth repeating: It was a cold February evening in Sallisaw in 1951. Sue and her friend Shirley had just come out of the movies and were waiting for their car to warm up when four soldiers from nearby Camp Chaffee came to their car and found that the girls had a flat tire. While three of the men set about to change the tire, one of the guys talked his way into the girl’s car. By the time the tire was changed, he had a date with Shirley. He asked Sue if she would like to come along with one of the other soldiers, and Sue said that she wanted the one changing the tire, not the one who hustled the girls! It just so happens that Walter Simons was the tire changer.

Along with her husband, Sue was a co-founder of Edmond Road Baptist Church. She was a Sunday School teacher extraordinaire, as well as made many cherished friendships at the church that lasted a lifetime. Sue was many things, to many people. A member of the high school glee club, a Sunday school teacher, a very social member of the Red Hat Society, a stellar cook, a stellar mother and wife, a loving grandma, a fashionista, a Brownies leader and a Cub Scout volunteer, a teacher, an avid reader, a listener, a volunteer to help at the drop of a hat, and a true friend to many. Sue endured a long battle with short term memory loss, but that didn’t affect her ability to be a great armchair jeopardy player, or still light up a room with a friendly hello and some quick wit.

Sue was a full-time homemaker until the children were elementary and junior high school aged. She attended Central State University and graduated with a teacher’s degree. She became the school Librarian at Harding Jr. High for 21 years. After retirement from Harding, she became a substitute teacher at Edmond Public Schools. When Walter retired after thirty years of service to the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority, the couple enjoyed frequent traveling as well as volunteering at their church.

Sue is preceded in death by her father Ace William Hensley, her mother Anna Lou (Steely) Hensley, brother Buel Hensley, and daughter Holly Gayle (Simons) Kinsky.

Sue is survived by her brother Leroy Hensley and his wife Janie Hensley of Sallisaw, OK; son Eddie Simons and his wife Tamatha Simons, and their child as well as Sue’s grandson, Carsten Simons, all of Edmond, OK; son in law Carl Kinsky of MO; nieces and nephews, and special caretakers Jesse Johnson and Theresa Smith.

A graveside memorial service will be held at Memorial Park Cemetery 13313 N. Kelly Avenue, Oklahoma City, OK, on Saturday, August 28th, at 11:30 a.m.

If you have a “Sue Simons” story or memory, please write it down and it will be read, or there will also be opportunity to speak at the service.