Tribute Wall
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The family of JoAnn K. Simmons uploaded a photo
Friday, June 23, 2023
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The family of JoAnn K. Simmons uploaded a photo
Friday, June 23, 2023
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Gail Williams posted a condolence
Monday, September 5, 2022
Tim, I just heard of your mothers passing and wanted to say how sorry I am. I remember how fondly you always spoke of your mother. Gail
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Jovette Young posted a condolence
Saturday, September 3, 2022
Our Beautiful neighbor JoAnn!! We are so Thankful that we were Blessed to have you in our Lives. We are going to miss our talks in the driveway and under your Favorite tree!! We Thank God for the Blessing of having you as our Friend!! You are gone but never will you be forgotten. We Love and will definitely miss You!!
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Fran Wolf posted a condolence
Saturday, September 3, 2022
JoAnn, I will always remember your quick sense of humor, your compassion and your kindness. Many, many GCS students were blessed to have had you as their teacher. Fran Wolf
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Patti mueller posted a condolence
Friday, September 2, 2022
Tim, I'm so sorry to hear about the loss of your Mom. I can see where you got the love of cats and education. My blessings to you and your family.Take care of your self. Patti Mueller
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David Winkler posted a condolence
Thursday, September 1, 2022
There have been so many wonderful tributes to JoAnn. I don't think I can add anything new. She was a wonderful teacher and friend. Heaven became a little brighter last week. You are in my thoughts and prayers.
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Kaitlyn Stanfield-Fasulo posted a condolence
Wednesday, August 31, 2022
I moved to Greenville when I was halfway through 5th grade, but I didn’t start at the school until 6th grade. I had Mrs. Simmons second period for social studies. The first day of school I went to raise my hand to answer a question and she went said ‶oh my gosh your nails are beautiful!!″ For context, I had (and still do have) pretty long natural nails. My older sister was always nagging me to cut my nails down basically to the beds because it was ‶gross″ to have long nails, so to have someone tell me they were beautiful for the first time in my life made me feel really happy, which was the first time I felt that in a long time and it meant a lot to me. After that Mrs. Simmons was my favorite teacher. A few months later during the winter I was really struggling. I didn’t eat breakfast in the morning, and I had forgotten to ask my dad for lunch money. Honestly at this point in time I was scared to ask him for money because I knew money was tight. My mom had passed away a year and a half prior, and we were still trying to recuperate from that. I was so hungry it hurt, I felt light headed, but I hated asking people for help and we weren’t eligible for the schools free or reduced lunch program. I went out to my locker after everyone went into the cafeteria and I was frantically rummaging around it to find any change I might’ve had in it just to get anything. I was crying in my locker at this point and all I found was a quarter and a penny, which wasn’t enough to get anything at the counter. All of a sudden I hear a door shut from one of the classrooms, so I quickly wiped my face off and put my stuff back in my locker and basically had my head sticking in it to avoid anyone seeing me cry. Mrs. Simmons walked over from her classroom where she had just shut the door to go and get her lunch. She asked what I was doing, and me trying to play it off said ‶oh I’m just reading in my locker″. She asked why I wasn’t in the lunch room eating, and when I tried to say ‶oh I’m not hungry″, OF COURSE my stomach let out a loud growl. I wish I was making that up. Combined w/ my face still being red and puffy from just crying in my locker a minute prior, I think it’s safe to say it was a bit obvious what was going on at that point, along w/ the lone quarter and penny on the floor. She asked me ‶were you just looking for lunch money in your locker?″, queue the tears again. She walked right back to her classroom, and came out a few seconds later and handed me $5. She told me to go to the bathroom, pat some cold water on my face, and to go get myself some lunch. I tried denying it and saying she doesn’t need to do that but she stopped me and said ‶I know I don’t need to, I want to. Go get lunch and come eat in my room if you want″. I quickly went to the bathroom, cried more, cleaned my face off, then I went and got lunch. After I got my lunch I went back to her room and gave her the change from it, and before I could sit down she said ‶hey wait there’s still change here, go get an ice cream″. Before I could say I didn’t need it she told me again to go get an ice cream, so I did. I went back to her room again after that, I sat and ate lunch w/ her for the rest of the period and just talked w/ her. That was the first time (other than the first day of school w/ her) anyone in that school had shown me any kindness. I had just moved from a different school, I didn’t have any of my old friends and didn’t really make any new ones, and to be honest I was kind of a weird kid back then so it was just that much worse. I’ll never forget that act of kindness from Mrs. Simmons or the appreciation I have for her. She was one of the teachers that impacted me the most from Greenville. I graduated 5 years ago now, but I’ll always remember her smiling and greeting us in the hallway, I’ll always remember that first day of 6th grade, and I’ll always remember the kindness she showed me when I needed it the most. I’m so sorry to all of her family, and I hope hearing about Mrs. Simmons kindness brings them some ease during this difficult time.
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Michelle Fisher posted a condolence
Wednesday, August 31, 2022
JoAnn was a wonderful friend and colleague. She was kind, warm, loving, loyal, and absolutely hilarious, I was so lucky to spend time with her for lunch each day and to have many happy times with her outside of school. She was an advocate for all of our students and would go out of her way each day to make every child in her presence feel special and comfortable at school. She loved her family (including her fur babies) fiercely and we excitedly talked about how we were going to be grandmothers later this year. JoAnn made the world a much better and brighter place. My sincere condolences to Tim, Tim J, Maureen, Brian and Cora, Sara Bear, Cooper, and Amy and the rest of her family, friends, and the Greenville CSD community. She made such a huge impact on so many people. She will be forever missed.
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Mrs Carey posted a condolence
Tuesday, August 30, 2022
Mrs Simmons i was pleased to have you teaching both of my children. I remember the day when I contacted you via email re a issue my daughter was having in school and she wasn’t in your class that year but you took out the time and helped resolve the situation and told me both my children have a special place in your heart ❤️. We’ll now you have a special place in our hearts. We will never forget what you have done for us. Gone but never forgotten
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Erin Dolan posted a condolence
Tuesday, August 30, 2022
Always kind, always loving, always smiling,always joking, always turning a negative into a positive! I can only imagine the impact she had with children, forever in my heart, Aunt Jo ! My deepest condolences to uncle TIM, Maureen, TJ and baby Corina. I thank her from the deepest part of my heart for trying to help me with my son COLIN !! Erin K. Dolan
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The family of JoAnn K. Simmons posted a condolence
Tuesday, August 30, 2022
The family of JoAnn K. Simmons uploaded a photo
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Kathleen Nelson posted a condolence
Tuesday, August 30, 2022
Dear Simmons family, JoAnn was my mentor when I began teaching 6th grade in Greenville, when 6th grade was still in Scott M Ellis Elementary School. She greeted me with a bag of gifts, things I still treasure today. JoAnn was such a kind and wonderful human being. I saw her about a year ago and we hugged and talked as if we still saw each other daily. Her students and colleagues loved her and I know of one young lady who was looking forward to having her as her social studies teacher this year. I didn’t have the pleasure of having Maureen in my class, but I did have the pleasure of having Tim in my 4th grade class. It’s wonderful to see what terrific adults you both have become. The loss of a spouse is devastating, so I send you strength, Tim Sr. JoAnn you will be missed terribly. Love and hugs to you all. ~Kathleen Nelson (Formerly Quackenbush, Mrs.Q)
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Lisa Day posted a condolence
Tuesday, August 30, 2022
JoAnn…you were more than a cousin to me - you were truly a ‶sister″ and so much more. I am so thankful that we were able to connect and become closer over the past years..our chats, our lunches, our laughs - all meant so much to me…more than you probably knew. You were truly an inspiration to me and my family. I will miss you terribly…your humor, your wit, your kindness - you were such an amazing person. Tim, TJ, Maureen and Brian…my heart goes out to you. May you hold memories close and know that she is watching over you and will never be far away. ❤️
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Gail Richmond posted a condolence
Tuesday, August 30, 2022
My heart was broken on Friday when I got the call. JoAnn was an amazing colleague, union sister, and friend. She’d truly give you her last dollar. She loved animals and humans alike. No matter what she was going through, she ALWAYS had a smile on her face and a kind word. Our deep conversations over the years will remain with me. How she loved her children and husband and mother and entire family. After I retired I loved to sub for her and I think she loved having me. Her room was an oasis in a sea of concrete. Soft lighting, couches, pretty lamps, easy chairs. I didn’t leave her room all day. It was pure peace. She taught 6th grade Social Studies and her room was a conglomeration of artifacts she had collected over the years and arranged in cases as if in the world’s best museums. Oftentimes when I subbed for others I’d just go to her room to sit and talk and catch up. I’m still in stunned shock as all of her friends and colleagues are. JoAnn Simmons made this world a better place and I’m a better person for knowing her all these years.