This is a Message Board Post. Reply to the message or author by clicking on the link below. *************************************************************************** MESSAGE: (#267437) Joseph Ben Simmons <http://iagenweb.org/boards/louisa/obituaries/index.cgi?rev=267437> AUTHOR: Mari Nielsen - DATE: 2/22/2010 at 23:21:46 Surnames: SIMMONS,MCCULLEY,GRUBBER,BOLING JOSEPH BEN SIMMONS Joseph Ben Simmons, age 92, of Morning Sun, Iowa, died Thursday afternoon, March 14, 1996 at the Morning Sun Care Center. The son of Emery Bailey and Ophelia McCulley Simmons, he was born May 5, 1903 at Huntington, Tennessee. He married Elsie E. Grubber on November 23, 1932 at Dubuque. She died August 31, 1974. He married Frances Boling on December 18, 1979 at Morning Sun. He was a farmer in the Morning Sun area and had previously operated a service station in West Liberty and also in Dubuque. He was of the Protestant faith. He thoroughly enjoyed big band music and dancing and also enjoyed reading. Survivors include his wife, Frances; two sons, Charles and Betty Simmons of Morning Sun and Allen of Sarasota, Florida; seven grandchildren; twelve great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; first wife, Elsie; a brother, Ezra; five sisters, Ruth, Macey, Grace, Ruby and Lucy; and a granddaughter, Jill. The funeral service for Ben Simmons was held at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, March 18, 1996, at the United Methodist Church at Morning Sun, with Rev. Chris Ebbers officiating. Burial followed at the Elmwood Cemetery, Morning Sun. Friends called on Sunday with the family meeting friends from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. Sunday at the Hagele and Honts Funeral Home, Morning Sun. A Memorial Fund has been established for the benefit of the Morning Sun Community Ambulance Service. Music was provided by Geneva Samuels as organist and the Gospel-Aires singing “God Will Take Care of You” and “Mansion Over the Hilltop.” The casket bearers were Rick Simmons, Ed Wilkerson, Justin Hartman, Keith Warth, Gary Warth, and Gary Burden. The honorary bearers included Hoyt Cummings, Bob Samuels, Delmar Johnston, Eugene Kreiger, Ed Wymore, and Dale Heater. Kay Skipton and Irene Kreiger cared for the flowers. Source: newspaper clipping with handwritten death date of March 14, 1996