Simmons, Jennifer J.

Jennifer J. Simmons, 47, of Anamosa, died Saturday, March 9, 2013, at the Dennis and Donna Oldorf Hospice House in Hiawatha after a courageous fight with cancer. Friends may call from 3 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, March 13, at Kramer Funeral Home in Monticello. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the funeral home with inurnment in Oakwood Cemetery, Monticello.

Jennifer was born Oct. 26, 1965, in Iowa City, Iowa, the daughter of Glen D “Bud” and Julia “Judy” (Holmes) Simmons. She graduated with the Class of 1983 from the Anamosa High School and went on the University of Northern Iowa where she was an RA in Bender Hall for two years, graduating in 1987. She worked at Camp Courageous of Iowa as a counselor for four summers. After college, she began working at The Gazette until her old boss and friend, Becky Woodrick, invited her to come and work at Oberlin College where she was a hall director. She earned her Master's Degree in Higher Education Student Affairs from the University of Vermont while she worked as a graduate assistant. She also worked at St. Lawrence University, the University of Northern Iowa, was a barista at Starbucks and temporarily at Rockwell Collins. In 2001, she became a contract writer for Rockwell Collins. She worked internationally and took many trips to Brazil to work on a large project which won the Chairman's Award for its importance to Collins.

Gambling was a favorite pastime of Jennifer's, often taking the Great Casino Tour of the Midwest with Schmiddy, stopping at casinos in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Minnesota, Illinois and Wisconsin.

Jennifer often expressed her love for her family and friends. She was an introvert, but extremely intelligent, intellectual, giving, kind, caring and loved to have others around her who smiled and laughed. While she appreciated her down time and time with books or her computer, she also had a profoundly positive impact on others.

She is survived by her parents, Judy and Bud; two brothers, Jack (Judy) of Phoenix, Ariz. and John Simmons of Marion; five nieces and nephews, Jackson and Rebekah Simmons, Sherry and Michael McGlaughin and Dylan Grover; and her significant other, David Schmid.

Jennifer was preceded in death by her sister, Rebecca in 1985; her grandparents, William and Irmal Holmes and Ozzy and Nylene Simmons; and foster grandparents, Katie and Grover Stroud.

Information available and condolences accepted at .

Published in The Gazette March 12, 2013.