Sylvania – Mary Hudmon Simmons, age 101, passed away on Monday, January 27, 2014 at Optim Medical Center-Screven. Mrs. Simmons was born with her identical twin sister, Anne, in April 1912, in Opelika, Alabama. She was the daughter of William Earle Hudmon and Katie Belle Hopson Hudmon and moved to Sylvania, Georgia in 1921. In 1933, she graduated Cum Laude from Agnes Scott College, receiving a bachelor’s degree in chemistry. She taught mathematics at Druid Hills High School in Atlanta where in 1940 the yearbook was dedicated in her honor, and she was selected Teacher of the Year. She was preceded in death by her husband, Dr. William Grant Simmons who practiced medicine in Screven County for 30 years, and by her sisters: Anne Hudmon Reed of Sylvania and Katherine Hudmon Gillis of Soperton, and brother-in-law, David Weldon Reed.
Mrs. Simmons was active in civic and social activities in Sylvania. She was President of the Sylvania Woman’s Club, President of the First District Federation of Women’s Clubs, and Regent of the Brier Creek Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution where she help membership for more than sixty years. Mrs. Simmons was a member of the Adams Brinson I Chapter of the National Society of Colonial Dames XVII Century. She was also a member of the First Baptist Church of Sylvania, Philathea Sunday School Class, a Friend of Screven County Library, and a member of the Screven County Reading Group (Girls Reading in the South-G.R.I.T.S.). She was an avid bridge player and a long time member of the Thursday Bridge Club, Ye Olde Bridge Club and the Tri County Duplicate Bridge Club.
Survivors include her daughters and sons-in-law, Susan S. Ragains and William Melton Barksdale of Sylvania and Nancy S. and Charles T. Lester, Jr. of Stone Mountain; four grandchildren, Meredith Hudmon Ragains, Stephen Harris Ragains and his wife, Suzanne, Susan Lester Ledbetter and her husband, Danny, and Mary Elizabeth Lester and her husband, Joel Corvera; great-granddaughters, Olivia Hopson Ledbetter and Madeline Susan Corvera and great-grandsons, William Maxwell Ledbetter, Luke Hudmon Ragains, John Harold Ragains and Charles Joseph Corvera; and brother-in-law, James Lester Gillis, Jr., two nieces and three nephews.
Pallbearers are Danny Ledbetter, David Reed, Edward Hagan, Bill Hawkins, Richard Beal, Ben Boyer, Tony Bazemore and Jay Widby. Honorary Pallbearers are the Philathea Sunday School Class of First Baptist Church of Sylvania, the Brier Creek Chapter of the D.A.R. and the Girls Reading in the South (G.R.I.T.S.).
Visitation will be Thursday, January 30, 2014 at 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM at Thompson-Strickland-Waters Funeral Home.
The funeral service will be held on Friday, January 31, 2014 at 2:00 PM at First Baptist Church of Sylvania with Dr. Charlie Cooper officiating. Burial following at Screven County Memorial Cemetery.
Contributions may be made to the First Baptist Church of Sylvania, P O Box 315, Sylvania, GA 30467 or your charity of choice.
Thompson-Strickland-Waters Funeral Home in charge of all arrangements. www.thompsonstricklandwaters.com
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