Retta M. Simmons

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Retta M. Simmons, 93, of Mount Vernon, passed away at 6:45 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2011, at Brooking Park at the Willows in Chesterfield, Mo.

Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 11, 2011, at Hughey Funeral Home in Mount Vernon with the Rev. Rob Dyer officiating. A graveside committal service will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday at Drake Cemetery in Williamson County. Visitation is 9 a.m. to service time Friday at the funeral home.

Mrs. Simmons was born on Thursday, Jan. 3, 1918, in Knoxville, Tenn., the daughter of the late Charles Walter and Alice Agnus (McMillan) Cook. She married David H. Simmons on Jan. 21, 1939, in Detroit, Mich., and he preceded her in death on Jan. 27, 2009.

Retta was a secretary for the State of Illinois Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and was a member of First Presbyterian Church in Mt. Vernon. She loved dancing, fine music, literature and poetry, especially the works of Eugene Field. She instilled the values of her appreciation for written and spoken word to her family.

Surviving family member include her son, Mark Simmons and wife Vicki of Manchester, Mo.; granddaughter, Mallory Simmons and husband Lou Delgado of St. Louis, Mo.; brother-in-law, Robert Gay of Marion; and several nieces and nephews also survive.

Her parents and her husband preceded her in death.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Hughey Funeral Home where you may call (618) 242-3348 or visit the Internet site www.hugheyfuneralhome1969.com for further information and to send condolences.