Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Simmons, Ferne Ethel 2013
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Marilyn Ransom mransom311@gmail.com August 5, 2015, 2:43 pm

The Ionia Sentinel-Standard, September 17, 2013


Ferne Ethel Simmons, 82, of Ionia passed away Sept. 14, 2013, in Ionia.  She 
was born July 7, 1931, in Ionia the daughter of Alzie and Ruth (Clark) Priest.

Ferne was born and raised in Ionia and graduated from Ionia High School in 
1949.  Following high school she worked for Michigan Bell Telephone as an 
operator until she married Ronald Simmons in 1956 (they divorced in 1979).  In 
1960 the family moved to Sayles Road in Saranac where she raised her three 
sons. 

In 1973 Ferne began working for the State of Michigan.  Her first position was 
at the Ionia State Hospital.  She went on to work for the Riverside 
Correctional Facility when the hospital became a prison.  While at Riverside 
she enjoyed working several different positions until she retired in 1994.  She 
worked at many other jobs during her life and especially liked being a part-
time bus driver for the Saranac Community Schools.  She enjoyed traveling, 
particularly to visit where her sons were living, around the country and the 
world.

At various times in her life Ferne attended the First Baptist Church in Ionia, 
the Saranac Community Church, where she was a member, and also the Easton 
United Methodist Church.  She was a life-long Christian and lived her faith 
until the end.

Ferne was active in the Saranac and Ionia communities.  Prior to retirement she 
volunteered at the women's shelter in Ionia.  Following retirement, she 
volunteered at the Saranac Elementary School library and also at the Saranac 
Community Church.  She was a supporting member of the Boston-Saranac Historical 
Society.  In 2002 she moved back to Ionia to be closer to family.  She lived 
there until her death.

Ferne is survived by her sons, Renald (Lynne) Simmons of Indiana, Robin (Ruth) 
Simmons of Virginia, and Ryan Simmons and Shel Kelley of Maryland; 
grandchildren, James Simmons of Indiana, Rebecca Simmons and Megan Poppe of 
Virginia, Reid Simmons and fiancée Nicole Merz of Maryland, Rachel Simmons of 
Virginia, Eric Lund of Texas and Bryan Lund of Texas; sisters, Opal Travis of 
Ionia, Wilma Wright of Ionia, Faye Leiter of Lyons, and Norma (Robert) Triggs 
of Washington; and great granddaughters, Cecilie Simmons and Molly Adelsbach.

She was preceded in death by her daughter-in-law, Carolyn Piccotti; sisters, 
Gladys Womboldt and Edna Myers; and brothers, Melvin Priest and Walter Priest.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 21, 2013, at Saranac 
Community Church with Nancy Patera officiating.  Visitation will be 2-5 p.m. 
Friday at Lake Funeral Home of Saranac.  Donations in memory of Ferne may be 
made to the Boston-Saranac Historical Society, P.O. Box 565, Saranac, MI 48881, 
or to either the Saranac Community Church or the Easton United Methodist 
Church. 



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