Frances Vivian Simmons Simmons

Mrs. Frances Vivian Simmons Simmons, 80, of 983 Tom's Creek Church Road, Pilot Mountain, passed away Saturday, September 5, 2009, at her home. Mrs. Simmons was born May 4, 1929, in Surry County, a daughter of the late William Sanford and Georgia Cain Simmons. She retired from Renfro Corporation after 31 years of service and was a member of Tom's Creek Primitive Baptist Church. She is survived by a daughter, Carol Sutphin of the home; a son and daughter-in-law, Michael and Robbin Simmons of Pilot Mountain; four grandchildren and their spouses, Shannon and Sunni Sutphin and Ryan and Brandy Simmons, all of Mount Airy, Brandy and Kevin Edmonds of King, and Jeremy Simmons of Pilot Mountain; four great-grandchildren, Camden Edmonds, Sarah Sutphin, Cole Sutphin, and Cassidy Simmons; a brother, Bobby Simmons of Pilot Mountain; and several nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents, Mrs. Simmons was preceded in death by her first husband, Ralph Simmons; her second husband, Hobert Simmons; four sisters, Opal Love, Blanche Ayers, Frankie Hayes, and Sallie Bowers; and two brothers, Leland Simmons and William Sanford Simmons, Jr. The funeral service will be held Tuesday, September 8, 2009, at 11:00 AM at Tom's Creek Primitive Baptist Church, with Elder Vance Jones, Elder Jimmy Joyce, Elder John Calhoun, and the Rev. Todd E. Byrd officiating. Burial will follow in the Simmons Family Cemetery. The family will receive friends Monday from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at Moody Funeral Home in Mount Airy, where her body will remain until carried to the church to lie-in-state 30 minutes prior to the funeral service. Flowers will be accepted, or memorial contributions can be made to the Tom's Creek Primitive Baptist Church, c/o Lena L. Collins, 1287 Tom's Creek Church Road, Pilot Mountain, NC 27041; Simmons Family Cemetery Fund, c/o Lester Simmons, 107 Della Lane, Pilot Mountain, NC 27041; or Mountain Valley Hospice and Palliative Care, 401 Technology Lane, Suite 200, Mount Airy, NC 27030. The family would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to Flannery Heath, Crystal Peele, April Robertson, and the Rev. Todd E. Byrd of Mountain Valley Hospice and Palliative Care for the loving care given to Frances during her illness.