Mary Lou Standish Simmons left this world to go to her home with God on Tuesday July 31, 2012. Mary Lou was born July 15, 1929 in Kansas City, KS to Lucille (Bray) and Ralph Henry “Bodie” Standish.

She graduated from Rosedale High School in Kansas City in 1946 and attended Baker College. She met the love of her life, James “Jim” Carlisle Simmons while they were both working at Woolworth’s in Kansas City and married on July 21, 1948. They lived in New Orleans, LA, Cushing, OK, St. Louis, MO, Overland Park, KS and Kansas City, KS before moving to Tahlequah in 1961 where her husband managed and later owned the Ben Franklin Store. They owned Simmons Custom Frame Shop until Jim’s death in 1993. Mary Lou continued to operate it until they closed in 1998.

Mary Lou’s greatest efforts were devoted to God and her family. She attended the South College Church of Christ where she was a very loved Bible Class teacher of the two year old class. She loved each child that came into her class. She was also an active member of the Ladies’ Bible Class, taught in Vacation Bible School, was one of the Food Committee, sponsored a number of children from the bus ministry, and was committed to visiting the sick and needy.

Mary Lou was preceded in death by her parents, Bodie and Lucille Standish, her husband James Simmons and her in-laws Sterling and Flora (Day) Simmons.

She is survived by her six children, Jamie and husband Bill Thompson, Sherry and husband Gary Morgan O.D., Sally Evans, Carol and husband Jake Schweikhard, David Simmons and wife Charlotte, and Jim Simmons and wife Susan, She is also survived by her 13 grandchildren and 22 great grandchildren and many other family and friends. She will be greatly missed by all of us.

Funeral Services will be held 2 p.m. Saturday August 4, 2012 at the South College Church of Christ. Interment will be in the Tahlequah City Cemetery under the direction of Hart Funeral Home. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday August 3. She will be greatly missed by all of us.

Memorial contributions may be in Mary Lou’s memory to the Burnt Cabin Christian Camp P.O. Box 42, Tahlequah, OK 74465.