I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20 (ESV)
Juanita Fay (Hopkins) Simon was welcomed into the loving arms of Jesus as she passed peacefully from this world into her eternal reward surrounded by her family Monday, September 6, 2021. A longtime resident of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, she was 83, born in Marshall, Texas on July 12, 1938. Arrangements made by Greenoaks Funeral Home, 9607 Florida Blvd., Baton Rouge for Thursday, Sept. 16th. Visitation for family 9:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.; friends from 10:00 a.m. until the service begins at noon. Interment will be 2:00 p.m. at The Louisiana National Cemetery, 303 W. Mount Pleasant Road, Zachary, LA.
Known to her friends and family as Nita, she was the middle child of five siblings, four sisters and one brother. She is preceded in death by parents, George Erie and Janie Lee Hopkins; sister Lilly Bell and Walter Junior Woodley; sister Connie Nadine Dubois; brother-in-law Bain Gilcrease and nephew Lester Hopkins. Nita, beloved Mother, is survived by her husband of 55 years, Joseph Edgard Simon; her twin sons, Joseph Simon, James and Kathy Simon; granddaughters Kristina and Kathryn Simon; sister Betty Ann Gilcrease; brother Don and Peggy Hopkins; brother-in-law Elray Dubois and many wonderful nieces and nephews.
Nita was a graduate of Marshall High School in 1957. After graduation she attended a trade school for two years in Opelousas, Louisiana and started working at Sears and Roebuck in the complaint department. Nita was perfect for this type of work since she loved to talk. Nita was playing softball with a girls team when she met who would later become her future husband, Joseph Simon of Lafayette, LA. He had returned from service in the Air Force and had recently been released from the hospital in 1964. Nita and Joe's courtship lasted a few years as Joe was working as a photographer for the FBI stationed in New Orleans. Every two or three weeks Joe would travel to Lafayette visiting Nita. The happy couple were married Saturday, April 23rd at St. Genevieve Catholic Church of Lafayette. Joseph moved his new bride to the big city of New Orleans in the Fairgrounds area. A year later the happy couple welcomed the birth of handsome, huggable, identical twin boys, James and Joseph. During their seven years in New Orleans, Joseph and Nita participated in many bowling tournaments with neighborhood friends and work associates along with weekend crawfish and shrimp boils. A short stint in the area of Marrero was their first house purchase, but when the twins were finishing up Kindergarten, Joseph accepted a photographer position with the Baton Rouge FBI office where all the Simon's would begin their journey of becoming lifelong LSU Tiger fans. Saturday nights were a blast in Tiger Stadium with Joe's work associates. Tailgating before and after the games was a special time spent with their friends.
As her twin boys began attending Villa del Rey Elementary, their beloved Mom struck up lasting friendships with several school moms. This blossomed into the creation of a monthly women’s luncheon called Friends of First Friday which continued for many decades. She loved her precious Friends of First Friday.
As a member of Park Forest Baptist Church, she was a Sunday school teacher in the children's department and was known to excel at decorating the bulletin boards with colorful displays. She often had her boys assisting her with these projects. She also assisted with the ladies of the church preparing many meals for others in need.
Mother was a homemaker taking care of the managerial details of the house while her husband Joe was at work and her boys attended school. She enjoyed the role of homemaker drill sergeant and lived by the credo of doing a job correctly the first time so it didn't have to be done again. She excelled in cooking and baking for her family and friends. During her homemaking duties of the day, Momfound time to read as she devoured romance novels by the thousands.
Family vacations were spent with friends and relatives in Slidell, Lafayette, New Iberia, Holly Beach, and Colfax, Louisiana along with Marshall and Elysian Fields, Texas. Lots of food, fellowship, fun and laughter encompassed their weekends and summers.
As her sons were involved in high school, Mom enjoyed Jim’s accomplishment of being equipment manager for the high school football and baseball teams. She had a shirt created that she wore to each game which read “Managers Mom" stitched on the back. Her voice could be easily recognized on the field much to his embarrassment. All of her son's friends were an extension of her family,and she lovingly called them her adopted sons.
Mother had many other names she was lovingly called including Mom, Mother, Managers Mom, Aunt Nita, Aunt Nee Nee, Neeter, but her favorite was to be called Nana. This was the name she wanted to be called by her two granddaughters, Kristina and Kathryn. They were her greatest joy, and she relished in their accomplishments by attending their school functions, piano recitals, dance performances, gymnastics and horse riding events. Her granddaughters were the apple of her eye. All the teachers at BRCVPA knew who Kristina and Kathryn's Nana was. She was especially proud to see both of them graduate high school. After every fellowship at Nana's house as the car began to drive away her girls would always have the window down ready for her to yell, "see ya later alligator" and her granddaughters would reply in kind, “in a while crocodile."
Mother adored her family of nieces and nephews by helping whenever and wherever she was needed. She was well practiced in the art of speaking out when the need arose. It wasn't difficult for Nita Simon to keep her opinions quiet. Sometimes it was welcomed and sometimes not, but her outspokenness always had family and friends rolling with laughter. Mother loved family reunions by providing above and beyond what was needed. She attended her last reunion this past Labor Day weekend. She adored her relatives very much and enjoyed being around them. She was quite the center of attention at this last reunion. Mom had a laugh you could hear on the next block but when she meant serious business such as getting her boys in for dinner, her calling them home caused other neighborhood kids to shudder thinking they were also in trouble. Mom's voice was very distinguishable. One notable time, her twin boys along with their friends strung a sheet of continuous feed computer paper across the street to block any cars from coming down the road. The pranksters hid and waited for the first victim to arrive. As luck would have it, Jim and Joe’s mother was the first car to drive towards the faux impenetrable roadblock. Their friends knew the Simon boys were in big trouble when she yelled out their names to come home immediately. The walk of shame commenced for the two twin boys.
Mom missed her true calling of being a skilled professional furniture mover. She didn't have to use a furniture dolly or truck but devised a method of using blankets to move heavy objects. She was exceptional at her craft and no one was her equal at moving furniture and placing them in the most interesting decorative positions. She basically liked to see how it would look in another location and the only way to do that was to move the furniture. Her family constantly joked if something wasn't bolted down, it was going to be moved. She even rearranged other family members' furniture. As she was taking care of her sister-in-law after a medical issue, Mom took it upon herself to rearrange their furniture much to their delight. During the night her brother-in-law got up to get a glass of milk. Without turning on any lights her brother-in-law walked into an end table which was rearranged in a new place.
Some of her favorite songs were: The Most Beautiful Girl In The World by Charlie Rich; Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head by B.J. Thomas; What A Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong and River of Dreams by Billy Joel.
Pallbearers are nephews Steve Woodley, Wayne Woodley, Tommy Hall, Damon Hopkins, Bruce Wicker and longtime neighbor and friend Roland Sanchez. In lieu of flowers, the family requests grateful donations be made in her honor to Our Lady of the Lake Children's Hospital
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