Elissa Landi Simmons was born two months early on Oct. 31, 1944 in Uniontown, Pa. After graduating high school and two years of community college, she migrated to the Washington, DC area. There she went to work at National Geographic Society. There her Christian boss arranged for a blind date to Conway Simmons, who became her husband on April 6, 1968. They lived in Oxon Hill, Md. for some time and later moved to Edgewater, Md.
Conway was instrumental, along with his mother Beulah Simmons, in Elissa’s salvation, love of the Lord and the church, and loving people. Elissa and Conway kept Beulah, along with Elissa’s mother, Margaret Landi, until their homegoing. She is predeceased by her husband Conway, her father James Landi, and only sibling James W. Landi.
Conway and Elissa were both very active at Trinity Assembly of God in Lanham, Md., the Simmons family church since its inception, for more than 30 years. There Elissa, a two-time breast cancer survivor, was heavily involved in the music ministry and cancer support group.
After Conway died in 1999, Elissa moved to Crofton, Md., and started an administrative position at Woodward Estate Assisted Living in Bowie, Md. She joined Grace Baptist Church in 2004, sang in the choir, facilitated a GriefShare program and was active in the singles ministry.
In semi-retirement, she worked part-time for the Naval Academy and did photography and travel writing for the Bowie Blade-Newsand her dear friend, Linda Blachly’s magazine, Trips & Getaways, from 2004-2010.
Elissa is survived by her daughter, Mary Margaret Bucolo (Tony), grandsons Jonathan and Victor; step-grandchildren, Brittany, Marina (Fran) and Hayley. Also, stepdaughter Vicki Hinz (Michael); step-grandchildren, Sean and Meghan (Kevin); two great-grandchildren, Kaleb and Kolton; and many nieces and nephews.
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