Nancy Katherine Benfer

Nancy Katherine Simmons Benfer passed away peacefully at Crestview Place on January 28, 2025. Born on January 17, 1931, to parents Franklin Page Simmons Sr. and Waurine Dearing Duvall in Mexia, Texas, Nancy spent her life lovingly nurturing her family, children and animals.

Nancy spent most of her childhood years in Dallas, Texas, where she graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in 1948. It was here that she met the love of her life William Lawrence Benfer. Leaving Dallas, she attended Christian College in Columbia, Missouri, graduating in 1950. She then briefly attended both Texas Christian University and Southern Methodist University. On June 26, 1951, Nancy and Bill were married and began a lifelong partnership filled with love and laughter. Bill predeceased Nancy on March 16, 2020.

While her children were growing up, Nancy was active in various organizations including PTA and the Wilson N. Jones Hospital Auxiliary in Sherman, and volunteered at Baylor Hospital in Dallas. She was a docent at the Dallas Zoo, taking animals out to various schools and classrooms. She taught Sunday School at Zion and Holy Cross Lutheran Churches in Dallas, Grace Lutheran Church in Sherman, and Bethel Lutheran Church in Bryan. She volunteered at Still Creek Ranch in Bryan where she taught young girls about cooking and sewing. In addition, Nancy adopted and cared for many dogs and birds over the years, and even a few (sometimes more than a few) feral cats.

Nancy is survived by three children, Sherry Little and her husband Robert of Sherman, Texas, Patricia Ellis and her husband David of College Station, Texas, and Paul Benfer and his wife Kristen of Livingston, Texas; by ten grandchildren, Nan Little Kirkpatrick and husband Sean of Dallas, Robert Little Jr. and wife Adriana of Waco, Katherine Hearn and husband Seth of Sherman, William Little of Waco, Molly Raney and husband Jordan of Houston, Emily Eifert and husband Walker of Clarksville, Tennessee, David “Bo” Ellis Jr. and wife Patricia of Houston, Kristopher Benfer of Pearland, Kenny Benfer and wife Lily of Montgomery, and Kendall Seward and husband Kolin of Livingston, and by twelve great-grandchildren, Archie & Paul Hearn, Miles, Aiden and Wes Raney, Graham, Piper and Lucie Eifert, David and Andrew Ellis, Korinna Seward and Kreed Benfer. She is also survived by one sister Karla Friedman and husband Joe, and many other loving family and friends.

She was predeceased not only by her husband, but also by her, brother, Franklin P. Simmons, Jr., sister-in-law Jessie “Jay” Simmons, sister Cynthia Simmons Gage, numerous aunts and uncles and other family.

The family would like to thank the staff at Crestview Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation, Annie Gaines, Tina Green and Hospice Brazos Valley for their loving care of Nancy in the past few years.

A memorial service will be held Monday, February 3rd at 11:00 am at Bethel Lutheran Church in Bryan, Texas, with a graveside service to follow on Wednesday, February 5th at 11:00 am at Sparkman Hillcrest Memorial Park in Dallas. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Hospice Brazos Valley, www.https://www.hospicebv.org/donate, or to Scotty’s House, www.https://secure.qgiv.com/for/shbvcac.

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The family would like to thank Nancy’s many friends at Bethel for the love and support they showed throughout her stay at Crestview. The visits, cards and flowers never failed to brighten her day. We are forever grateful.