Verna Simmons

VERNA SIMMONS

Victor

Verna Simmons, 84, of Victor, passed away with her family by her side on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2015, at the Mercy Hospice Care Unit in Iowa City. A funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 29, at St. Bridget Catholic Church in Victor with Father Brian Shepley presiding. Visitation will be from 2 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 28, at the Smith Funeral Home in Victor with family present beginning at 4 p.m. Interment will be at the Montrose Cemetery in Montrose, Iowa.

Memorials may be directed to the Ronald McDonald House and sent in care of the Smith Funeral Home, P.O. Box 485, Victor, IA 52347.

Verna was born on Jan. 21, 1931, to Frisby and Gladys Foley Reid in Gregory Landing, Mo. She was raised and attended school in Keokuk, Iowa, graduating from St. Peters High School as class valedictorian. Following graduation, Verna contemplated becoming a nurse, but instead went to work at a local bank. It was during this time she met and eventually married Earl Simmons. She and Earl would go on to have eight children.

Throughout her life Verna held various jobs. After the death of Earl in 1976, she enjoyed her time as a waitress at the Victorian Inn and also worked at Victor Manufacturing. Other than being a mother to her own children, one of Verna's great joys was that of being a house mother to hundreds of collegiate females. She began her second career as "mom'' at Culver-Stockton College in Canton, Mo. She continued touching lives and caring for her "girls" at Drake University in Des Moines, Simpson College in Indianola, the University of Iowa, and finally retiring after a time at Illinois State University in Normal, Ill.

Verna enjoyed attending her grandchildren's activities, reading and playing bingo at the senior dining center. She was a proud Democrat and an avid fan of the St. Louis Cardinals.

Those left to cherish Verna's memory are her children, Mac (Lynn) Simmons of Eden Prairie, Minn., Tony (Kathi) Simmons of Columbus Junction, Nick (Judy) Simmons of Victor, Chris (Annette) Simmons of Victor, Kelly Schultz of Victor, Joe (Marcia) Simmons of Victor, Andy (Marsha) Simmons of Williamsburg and Tim (Mary) Simmons of Des Moines; one sister, Jane (David) Schevers of West Point, Iowa; two brothers, Larry (Joan) Reid of Gulfport, Ill., and Bob (Terri Kay) Reid of Montrose; one brother in-law, Terry Dietsch of Montrose; 18 grand-children; and 17 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; two sisters, Mary Ann Riter and Judy Dietsch; and one brother, John Reid.