Rev. Franklin Simmons

Reverend Franklin E. Simmons passed away on August 9, 2014. Father Simmons was born on March 4, 1939, in Granite City, Illinois, to the late Owen B. Simmons and Luella Curtis Simmons Pugh. He attended elementary schools in Illinois and Kentucky and graduated from Lewisville High School in Texas. He continued his education at St. Mary Seminary in Houston and received a Bachelor of Arts degree and master of divinity degree (M.Div.) from the University of St. Thomas. He was ordained to the priesthood on February 24, 1979.

Following his ordination, Father Simmons served as an Assistant Pastor at Notre Dame Church in Houston, Queen of Peace in LaMarque, St. Patrick’s in Galveston, St. Christopher’s in Houston, and the Missions of Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha in Buffalo and St. Leo in Centerville. He later served as a Hospital Chaplain in the Archdiocesan Chaplain Corps. During his years in the Chaplain Corps, he also lived in residence at St. Jerome’s, St. Rose of Lima and St. Ambrose Parishes, all in Houston.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his step-father William Pugh; his brothers Kenneth and Donald Simmons; and his sisters Velma and Thelma Simmons. He is survived by his siblings William Pugh, Joseph Pugh, Lorene Pugh Cano and Barbara Pugh Ruiz and numerous other loving relatives.

The Funeral Mass will be held on Monday, August 18, 2014, at 2:00 p.m., with a viewing beginning at 1:00 p.m., in Warren Chapel at St. Dominic Village, 2401 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, Texas 77021. Rite of Committal will follow at Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery.