SIMMS, Lillian 1875-1950

SIMMS, KERR, ESTABROOK

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 4/6/2015 at 09:00:29

Mrs. J. E. Simms, Lifetime Grundy Resident, Dies

Mrs. J. E. Simms died at her home in Grundy Center Friday morning after a brief illness. She had suffered a heart attack in January, 1944, and never completely recovered. Last September she spent a week in a Waterloo hospital for rest and treatment and since that time her children had urged her to close her home for the winter and stay with them. Mrs. Simms had lived in the same home for 66 years and it was her wish to be at home to her many friends, her children and grandchildren.

Two weeks prior to her death she was taken to the Allen Memorial hospital at Waterloo where she remained almost a week. Mrs. Simms was then brought to her home in Grundy Center where her heart condition, aggravated by uremia, resulted in her death.

Funeral services were held at the First Presbyterian church Sunday afternoon following short prayer service at her home. The services were conducted by Rev. Gerben VanPutten, assisted by Rev. Daniel Kerr, a nephew of the deceased. Burial was in the Grundy Center Cemetery. Pallbearers were T. E. Evans, Glenn Dew, H. K. Wilson, James Ceck, L. S. Kupka and Ernest Ruppelt.

Obituary
Lillian Kerr Simms, youngest daughter of Daniel and Clara Estabrook Kerr, was born July 13, 1875, north of the present residence of Mrs. Sophia Kerr in the west part of Grundy Center.

Her father, a veteran of the Civil War, practiced law and was an early newspaper publisher in Grundy Center. He served in the Illinois and Iowa Legislatures and as Congressman to Washington D.C. from the 5th district. He trained his children to have a strict sense of religious and civic responsibility.

Mrs. Simms was educated in the schools of Grundy Center, at Oberlin college in Ohio and at Cornell College in Mount Vernon, graduating in 1901.

She taught school in the rural schools in Grundy county, taught music in the Shell Rock high school and voice in Grundy Center.

She was married April 16, 1908, at Azusa, Calif., to James Edwin Simms, who preceded her in death in 1935.

Survivors include Edward Kerr Simms, Grundy Center, and Mrs. Robert Bliss, Des Moines, four grandchildren and a brother, Wm. G. Kerr. In addition to her husband she was preceded in death by her parents, three brothers and two sisters.

Mrs. Simms was a lifelong resident of Grundy Center and of the family home from the time of its construction in 1884. For many years she was active in the First Presbyterian church, a charter member of Chapter AR of the PEO Sisterhood Ruth Chapter of the Order of Eastern Star, W.C.T.U. Woman's Relief Corps, and the Grundy Center Woman's Club. She was a member of the Library Board for over 30 years and active in music and various other community activities.

Throughout the years of her marriage she kept a welcome in the family home for her brothers and sisters and their families.

She was vitally interested in old friends and in making new ones, and derived keen satisfaction in her association with her grandchildren.

She was a good friend, a Christian neighbor and a faithful parent.

Out-of-town relatives in attendance at the funeral were: Rev. and Mrs. Daniel Kerr and family, Jacksonville, Illinois, Mr. and Mrs. Brooks Kerr, Kankakee, Ill., Roscoe S. Kerr and Mrs. Dorel Ffifield, Des Moines, Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Devine and son of Iowa City, Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Flumerfelt, Mrs. W. K. Bauraw, Minneapolis, Minn., Mr. and Mrs. Paul Herman, Boone, Mr. R. K. Bliss, R. Bliss and Miss Angeline McKinley, Ames; Mr. and Mrs. Will Simms, Conrad; Tom Simms, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Simms, Beaman, Mrs. Dave Simms, and Mr. and Mrs. William Weimore, Marshalltown.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 6 April 1950, pg 1, 6