Marian Simmons

Marian Wilson Simmons , Age 91, was born December 8, 1919 in Kalamazoo and died May 18 in Novi, Michigan. She devoted her life to her family, to volunteering and traveling worldwide. After meeting her future husband, Luel, in high school where they were co-editors of the school yearbook, she and Luel become students at Kalamazoo College. There she was for two years Editor-in-Chief of the Index, the school’s student newspaper, on the staff of the school annual, The Boiling Pot, was a member of the Student Senate, the College Singers and Kappa Pi. She was listed in Who’s Who of American College and University Students. Throughout her life she continued a close relationship with Kalamazoo College, being the class agent for the Class of 1942 for 46 years, a member of the Women's Council for many years, member of the Stetson Society and the 1833 Society, on the Alumni Executive Board and Director of the Emeritus Club for l2 years, during which she was co-president with her husband for four years. She was honored with the Kalamazoo College Distinguished Service Award and was presented with the Kalamazoo College Emeritus Club Citation of Merit. She and her husband have established The Luel and Marian Simmons Scholarship Fund. She was a member of the Village Club in Bloomfield Hills, Bloomfield Open Hunt, Birmingham Senior Women's Club, AAUW, and was awarded the national honor, Valiant Woman, by Church Women United. When the family moved to Birmingham in l952 they joined Christ Church Cranbrook, Bloomfield Hills, where Marian was a Lay Eucharistic Minister and for many years chairman of the Docents. She was a member of the Altar Guild, the Art Works Committee and Episcopal Church Women, where she was chair of the Mission Committee. She and her husband helped to establish a mission of Christ Church Cranbrook, returning to Christ Church after the mortgage on the mission was paid off. In l957 Marian and her husband were one of the 13 founding families of a mission which became St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Troy. There she was president of the ECW, a member of the building committee, sang in the choir and became one of the first women in the United States to be licensed by the Episcopal Church as a Lay Reader. When they were married in 1943, she accompanied her husband, who was a young Navy Officer in World War II from Kalamazoo to Boston to San Francisco and continued to travel the rest of her life. The family's summer trips took the children to 47 of the contiguous states. After the children were grown she and her husband visited some 80 countries and circumnavigated the globe. She and Luel celebrated their 67th Wedding Anniversary in 2010. They had three children: Marylu (David {dec.}) Andrews of Fairport, NY, Jonathan (dec.) and William (Marsha) of Lapeer, five grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. She had three brothers, Clifton (dec.), Robert end Richard Wilson. After living for 49 years in the home they built on Squirrel Road in Bloomfield Hills, Marian and Luel moved in 2004 to the retirement community, Fox Run, in Novi, Michigan. A memorial service will be at 11:00 June 4 at Christ Church Cranbrook, corner of Lone Pine and Cranbrook Roads, Bloomfield Hills, followed by a reception. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Artworks Fund at Christ Church Cranbrook or the Benevolent Care Fund at Fox Run, 41000 13 Mile Road, Novi, Ml 48377.

Marian Simmons

May 18, 2011