Jane Agnes Simmons

A LIFE WELL LIVED

On Monday August 19th, 2024, Jane Agnes Simmons, was called to heaven after 90 fulfiling years on earth. She passed peacefully in her sleep at home surrounded by family. Jane is survived by her 4 children, Mike, Jackie, Joe, and Nicole; daughter-in-law, Jan; her 8 grandchildren; her 3 great-grandsons; and her twin sister Janet.

Jane was born on May 20, 1934 to her mother Emma and father Leward in rural New York, with 3 older brothers and her twin sister who followed her into the world. Jane, in her petite 5'1" frame, was always known for her athleticism as a tennis player, ice skater, softball player, dancer, as well as a basketball star during her high school years. She had earned the Babe Ruth Award for all-around athlete, and her tribute is still encased at Chazy Central Rural School. After high school, she earned her Associates of Arts degree in Business and Accounting, and worked as a bookkeeper for a local bank.

Jane met her late husband Edward, a military man, and married on July 4th, where they remained married for 46 years until Ed's passing in 2002. Of those 46 years together, 28 of those years Jane was a devoted military spouse. Their love for dancing to big band swing music, and traveling the world to Italy, Germany, Korea, Ireland, and Canada bonded them, as well as their committment to family. Their first child, Colleen, was born in 1958 and tragically passed at the young age of 2 from Leukemia. While devastatingly heartbreaking, they committed themselves to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospitals, and faithfully donated to children battling cancer for 64 years. They prayed for more children - specifically in the order of a boy, then girl, and then another boy, and another girl - which is exactly what they were blessed with. Jane birthed Mike in 1961, Jackie in 1962, Joe in 1968, and their baby Nicole was born in 1970.

The Simmons Family settled in Carson, California in the early 1970's, where Jane's children grew into adults, she became a grandmother in 1980, and became a great-grandmother in 2018. She loved road trips with her family throughout the United States, and especially visiting the National Paks. As a grandmother, she joyfully attended her grandchildren's events, including musicals, concerts, plays, sports events, birthdays, and especially the holidays where she made sure everyone felt welcome. She included everyone who shared in the family's celebration with her famous "grandma's envelopes". 

Jane faithfully served her chuch community at St. Philomena Church in Carson, and was an ordained Eucharistic minister, where she served the needy, sick & elderly. Her other passions included rooting for her LA Lakers and Los Angeles Dodgers, where she celebrated her 85th birthday with her family in a box suite at Dodger Stadium! Baking and cake-decorating was another passion of Jane's which she passed onto her daughter Jackie and first grandchild Ilene.

Mostly, Jane is known as a bowling champion, playing in tournaments all over the western United States, and of course teaching everyone in the family how to be the best bowler. And yet, no one in the family could beat her in a game of bowling. The superstar Jane continued to be a bowling champion even after battling breast cancer at the age of 79, and after having knee replacement surgery at the age of 81, in which she defied doctor's assumptions in her ability to return to bowling. With a new knee, Jane continued to do what she loved and bowled her way into 89 years of age before falling ill in January 2024. 

We are forever better people, more enriched and blessed to have had the years with Jane we shared. Forever she will live in our hearts, our memories, and in the generations to come.