Roy C. Simmons

THEBES, Ill. -- Roy Clifford Simmons, 79, of Thebes died Monday April 10, 2006, at the Chateau Health Center in Cape Girardeau.

He was born Aug. 4, 1926, in Gale, Ill., son of William Roy and Ida Mae Corzine Simmons. He and Mildred Lois Prater were married Aug. 5, 1950, in Cairo, Ill. Mildred preceded him in death on April 7, 1974.

He was a veteran of World War II, serving in the United States Army in Okinawa, Japan. He was a farmer and union carpenter and a retiree of Southeast Missouri State University. He was a beloved son, husband, father, companion, brother, grandfather and great-grandfather. He loved his family and friends and working on his farm. His favorite hobby was fishing. He will be sadly missed.

Survivors include his daughters, Deborah Simmons Fulton and her husband Kenneth E. Fulton of Cape Girardeau; Charlotte Simmons Griffith and her husband Steven T. Griffith of Jackson; his granddaughter, Angela Blumenberg Williams and her husband Adam Williams of Atlanta, Ga.; his great-granddaughter, Grace Malone Williams of Atlanta; two step-granddaughters, Kara Fulton of Cape Girardeau and Jennifer Griffith Blank and her husband Henry Blank of Memphis, Tenn.; a step-grandson, Jacob Ikerman of Cape Girardeau; three sisters, Marie Snell of Gale, Ill., Reba Enderle and her husband Tom Enderle of Cape Girardeau and Sharon Reynolds of McClure, Ill.; a brother, William A. Simmons and his wife Willa Simmons of McClure.

He is also survived by his companion, Wanda Willcut of Thebes, and her family of Belleville, Ill.

He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Marvie Daniel Simmons and James Jerry Simmons; and a sister, Wilma Simmons.

Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Ford & Sons Funeral Home on Mount Auburn Road in Cape Girardeau. The funeral will be held at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral chapel with the Rev. Ron Watts. Burial will follow at Rose Hill Cemetery in Thebes. Military honors will be conducted by VFW Post 3455, Anna, Ill.