Shirley Jean Simmons Hotchkiss, 71, passed from this earth to her home in heaven on Sunday, Sept. 21, 2014, in Dallas County. Her four years of battling cancer have come to an end. Celebration of life: 10 a.m. Wednesday at Irving Bible Church, 2435 Kinwest Parkway, Irving. A reception will follow. Interment will be for family only. Visitation with friends will be from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Bluebonnet Hills Funeral Home. Memorials: In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Irving Bible Church, 2435 Kinwest Parkway, Irving, Texas 75063, (www.irvingbible.org); or Dallas Theological Seminary, 3909 Swiss Ave., Dallas, Texas 75204, (www.dts.edu). Shirley was born in Dallas on July 8, 1943, to James William Simmons Jr. and Christine Caskey Simmons. Shirley was the third of four siblings: Rebekah Louise Simmons Farrar of Hico, Celeta Simmons Walther of Quanah, and James W. Simmons III of Denton. Shirley was a graduate of Ursuline Academy in Dallas and of Southern Methodist University where she was a member of Zeta Tau Alpha. She married Douglas Graham Hotchkiss on Dec. 28, 1964, in the chapel at Texas A&M University. They would celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary this year. Four sons were born to this marriage. They and their families survive Shirley: Dr. Steven Douglas Hotchkiss, his wife, Lisa, and children, Brooke, Luke, and Macy of Fort Worth, Gregory Simmons Hotchkiss, his wife, Petra, and children, Joshua, Jonathan, and Lena, of Lewisville, Kenneth Glenn Hotchkiss, his wife, Molly, and children, Haley, Jacob, Abby and Taylor, of Cypress, Michael Jared Hotchkiss, his wife, Diane, and children, Susannah, Will, Bethany Shirley and Hope of Cypress. Shirley's main desire was to extend the grace to those around her that she had received from Christ. She had a passion to teach God's word and show people that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. As her first priority, she invested that passion in her four children and husband with intention. She was also a gifted Bible teacher and speaker for women's retreats and Bible conferences. She began a small Bible study in her home in 1985, which has continued to grow today (www.commonbondbiblestudy.com). Shirley continued with great courage and determination to lecture each week through most of her cancer treatments. During these recent years God raised up others to take leadership positions so that CommonBond will continue according to God's plan. Shirley has shown us all how to live with joy, how to build a good marriage and how to raise children in the nurture of the Lord. And now in the last four years, she has shown us how to suffer and die with faith and not fear, with courage and not complaints, with trust and love, with peace, and victory.
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