Obituary of Billie K Simmons

Billie K. (Craighead) Simmons, age 90,peacefully passed away on Sunday, May 28, 2023, in Edmond, Okla. Graveside services will be held at 2:00 PM, Monday, June 12, 2023, at Hillcrest Memorial Park of Ardmore, Okla., with The Reverend Terry Tolbert officiating. Billie was born on December 23, 1932, in Ardmore, Okla. to Newell J. Craighead and Annie Blanche (Culley) Craighead. After graduating from Ardmore High School in 1951 as a member of the National Honor Society and Pep Club, she worked as a bank teller for Exchange National Bank of Ardmore. She married Gary Don Simmons on Christmas Eve of 1953. After Gary’s honorable discharge from the US Army, the couple moved to Stillwater, Okla., where she continued to work as a bank teller while Gary furthered his education at Oklahoma State University. The couple returned to Ardmore thereafter, where Billie became a homemaker and devoted her life to raising her two boys. Billie was active at Trinity Baptist Church of Ardmore and taught the 2- and 3-year-old Sunday School Class for decades. She was affectionately known as “Teacher Billie” to the kids and parents alike. She worked alongside her husband at the family’s small cow-calf operation at Dickson, Okla., for years and enjoyed gardening. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband of 69 years, Gary Don Simmons, sister, Bonnie Hammett, and brother, T.C. Craighead. Billie is survived by two sons, Brook A. Simmons, of Oklahoma City, Okla., and Brent J. Simmons and wife, Ashley, of Edmond, Okla.; grandchildren, Jack, Micah, Ruby, William, and Catherine; and several nieces and nephews.