Obituaries: Kermit Carson Simmons, 1980, Winn Parish, LA. Submitted by Greggory E. Davies, 120 Ted Price Lane, Winnfield, LA 71483 ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** From: December 17, 1980 Winn Parish Enterprise News-American Prominent Winn Educator Dies Mr. Kermit Carson Simmons, 72, of Dodson, passed away on Tuesday of last week in the Winnfield General Hospital after an illness of several weeks. Services for Mr. Simmons were held Thursday, December 11, 1980 at the First Baptist Church in Dodson with interment in Gansville Cemetery in the Mixson family plot, with Edmonds Funeral Home in Winnfield in charge. Mr. Simmons was born and reared in Winn Parish in the Sikes area, Mr. and Mrs. William Mason Simmons being his parents. He was the youngest of nine children. He was graduated from Sikes High School in 1925 when he was near 17 years of age, attended Louisiana Tech and began his teaching career before he was 18 years of age. He taught in a one room school with eight grades, then moved to a three room school of which he was principal. Intermittently he worked and attended school. In 1930 he became teacher of the 7th grade and coached basketball at Calvin High School where he taught 11 years. In 1939, he coached the first and only state championship boy's basketball team in Winn Parish. This team was trained on a dirt court and was made up of seven players. Two died in their youth and the other five are still living, and paid their respects to their much loved coach. In 1927 he earned his B. A. degree from what is now Northwestern State University. He then could teach English, history, math, science, physical education and driver education. He had the necessary qualifications for all of these plus all grades in elementary school. In 1941, he was named as principal of Gaar's Mill High School where he was for two years. Then he was called back to serve as principal at Calvin High School for three years. In 1946 he moved to Dodson High School where he remained until retirement in 1968. He earned his Master of Education in 1949 from LSU. He made many changes and improvements in this school in the twenty-two years he was there. He held memberships in many organizations: Winn Parish Education Association, Louisiana Association of Educators, Secondary Principals' Association, Phi Delta Kappa fraternity for outstanding educators, Masonic Lodge, Scottish Rite Bodies, and Shriners. In 1954 he was listed in Who's Who in American Education and served on the Selective Service Board for Winn Parish during World War II and several years after the war ended. He was a member of the Southern Baptist Church becoming a member at an early age. He served as deacon in Calvin, Gaar's Mill, and Dodson during a forty year period and was active until his death. He had also held many other positions in the church. In 1932 he married Mamie Mixon who was also a teacher in Calvin High. They had two sons, Kermit M. Simmons, Assistant District Attorney for Winn Parish, and Harry David Simmons also an attorney, who is with the firm of Bodenheimer, Jones, Klotz, and Simmons in Shreveport. He also has six grandchildren. Mr. Simmons had much influence on the numbers of children whom he taught. He sought those who appeared to have a small chance of success and did what he could for them.