Gayle Simmons

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held for Gayle Meche Simmons on Friday, February 20, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. in the St. Leo the Great Catholic Church in Leonville, LA. Interment will follow in the church cemetery. The Reverend Ken Domingue will celebrate the Mass.

Mrs. Simmons, age 74, who was a native of Krotz Springs, LA and a resident of Port Barre, LA, died on February 16, 2015 at her residence, surrounded by her loving family.

Gayle began her career by receiving her Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from U.S.L. She was also nursing school graduate of Hotel Dieu in Beaumont, TX. After graduating, she began her nursing profession as a nursing assistant at Savoy Medical Center in Mamou, LA; she then worked as a nurse at the 12 Oaks Nursing Home in Beaumont, TX. As she strived for excellence in healthcare, she was hired as the head of O.R. at Baptist Hospital in Houston, TX and later then moved closer to home as Director of Nurses at St. Luke General Hospital in Arnaudville, LA. Gayle worked as a school nurse for the St. Landry Parish School System from 1980 to 1985; from 1985 to 1990 she again worked for St. Luke General Hospital in Arnaudville, LA as head of home health. In 1990 Gayle became the owner and operator of Heritage Home Health agency until her retirement in 1995. Her work history demonstrated the passion that she had for her profession and the deep and profound care that she had for caring for people and their wellbeing.

Gayle was not only a nurse, she was a mother who was involved in Cub Scouts as a Den Leader, fishing, flower gardening, crocheting, and cooking. She was faithful parishioner of St. Leo the Great Catholic Church in Leonville, LA, where she was a member of the Ladies Altar Society. She was a member of the Opelousas Garden Club, held several memberships in the medical community as well as being a patriot and a member of numerous civic organizations in her community. Her love was visiting with family and friends and spending time with her children and grandchildren. She will be greatly missed by those who knew and loved her.

Survivors include her sons, Christopher Scott Simmons and his wife Tiffany, Adrian Jude Simmons, and Nicholas Aaron Simmons and his wife Brandy Jo, all of Port Barre, LA; sisters, Myrtle Meche and Norma "Jo" Evans; grandchildren, Colton James Simmons, Ahna Brooke Simmons, Eli Scott Simmons and step grandson, John Edward "Jed" Mire, III.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Nolan Eugene Simmons; parents, Raoul and Olivia Bryant Meche; paternal grandparents, Tildan Sam Meche and Matilda Boudreaux Meche; maternal grandparents, Samuel "Tony" Bryant and Amosie Close Bryant; brother, Clovis Raoul Meche; sisters, Jeannette M. Norris, Sylvia M. Senette, and Patricia M. LaHaye.

Pallbearers will be Christopher Scott Simmons, Adrian Jude Simmons, Nicholas Aaron Simmons, Douglas Charles Kelley, James Wyble, James Robert Evans, III, Bryan LaHaye and Mark LaHaye.

Visiting will be held in the LaFond-Ardoin Funeral Home of Opelousas beginning on Thursday, February 19, 2015 from 2:00 to 10:00 p.m. and will reopen on Friday at 8:00 a.m. A rosary will be prayed at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday.

LaFond-Ardoin Funeral Home of Opelousas, 2845 S. Union St, Opelousas, LA, 70570, (337)942-2638, has been entrusted with the funeral arrangements.

Visitation

LafondArdoin Funeral Home Opelousas
2845 South Union Street
Opelousas, LA  70570
Thursday, February 19, 2015
2:00- 10:00 p.m.

Service

Rosary

LaFond-Ardoin Funeral Home
2845 S. Union St.
Opelousas, LA  70570
Thursday, February 19, 2015
7:00 p.m.

Mass of Christian Burial

St. Leo The Great Catholic Church
126 Church Street
Leonville, LA  70551
Friday, February 20, 2015
11:00 a.m.

Cemetery

St. Leo the Great Church Cemetery
126 Church Road
Leonville, LA  70551