Lloyd Arnold Simmons

Lloyd A. Simmons, 91, went home to be with his Lord & Savior Saturday, July 30, 2016, at his home. Services are scheduled for 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 3rd, at Bright-Holland Funeral Home with Rev. Claude Plunk & Dr. L. C. Stout officiating. Burial will follow in Evergreen Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the funeral home one hour prior to the service and will be at the home of Ernie & Rita Sparks at other times. A devoted husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather and great great grandfather, Mr. Simmons was born Dec. 22, 1924, in the Rockford Community to Pearl Yancy Simmons and Henry Simmons. He married Vera Andrews on May 27, 1943, and they were blessed with a daughter, Rita Kay, as well as 54 years of marriage. He graduated from Paris High School and served his country in World War II in the U. S. Army. He later graduated from East Texas State University – Commerce. Mr. Simmons gave pleasure in being a teacher, administrator, coach and lay preacher for many years. He began his teaching career at Delmar, then Deport where he was principal, girls and boys basketball coach and then later superintendent. While at Deport coaching basketball, he took the girls team to the state tournament three different years and won seven straight district girls championships. He also coached boys basketball at Deport for five years and won both boys and girls district championships one of those years. In 1970, he began a career as a business manager of Paris ISD which spanned seven years. In 1977, he became boys basketball coach at Prairiland ISD and principal in 1979. He remained there until his retirement in 1983. While coaching at Prairiland, he won four district championships. He had a great love for coaching. He was currently a member of Lamar-Delta Retired Teachers. Mr. Simmons became a Christian in his early twenties and was a faithful member and teacher at several churches he attended throughout his life which included Ramseur Baptist, First Baptist – Deport, Immanuel Baptist Church, Christian Fellowship and Calvary Assembly of God where he was presently a faithful member. During his younger years he supplied pulpits as a lay preacher for several area churches. He always enjoyed telling other of God’s love. He was preceded in death by his parents, wife, Vera, second wife, Betty Jo, and close friend, Margie Walker. He is survived by his daughter, Rita Kay Sparks & husband Ernie; grandchildren, Chris Sparks & wife Kim of Tyler, Wade Sparks & wife Karen of Blossom and Camille Click & husband Kelly of Tyler; nine great grandchildren and one great great granddaughter along with several nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of friends. Casket bearers will be: Justin Click, Cade Sparks, Bryce Wilson, Zach Horton, Joe Travis Kelsey, Paul Walker and Greg Smith.