Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Archie Simmons Jr.

A celebration service in loving memory of Archie Simmons Jr. was held Friday, November 21, 1997, at Young's Funeral Home in Clearwater, Fla., with Rev. Michael Wyble officiating.

Mr. Simmons was born February 22, 1924, to the late Archie A. Simmons and Mrs. Aquilla Simmons, in Chicago, Ill. He was the eldest of eight siblings. He lived his early years in Smithton, Ark., where he entered the U.S. Navy at the age of 17.

Mr. Simmons later returned to Chicago, Ill., where he met and married Louvenia Gibson in 1975. Mr. and Mrs. Simmons returned to the Tampa Bay, Fla., area in 1977. They lived in the Clearwater, Fla., area for approximately six years and later moved to Spring Hill, Fla., in 1985. He remained there until he was called home on November 15, 1997.

Mr. Simmons served over 35 years in the U.S. Navy. His military career included World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. Archie was retired civil service employee of the U.S. Post office service in 1989.

He was born again in 1978 and at the time of going home, was attending Family Worship Church in Lakeland, Fla., under the leadership of Pastor Reggie Scarborough.

To mourn his call from these early trials and tribulations, he leaves a devoted wife, Louvenia; a mother, Aquilla Simmons of Chicago; three brothers, George, Lucion and James; four sisters, Maxine Hawkins, Jenny Durham, Deborah Simmons and Ruth Ann Hertz; a cousin, Flossie Hawkins of Dunellon, Fla.; two sisters-in-law, Detrola Hayden of Kalamazoo, Mich., and Janice Nelson of Largo, Fla.; and a host of other relatives and friends.

Pallbearers were the Honor Guards of the U.S. Naval Reserve of Orlando, Fla.

Interment was in the Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, Fla.