Lora Jean Simmons

MISSOULA – Lora Jean Simmons, 98, of Missoula, passed away on Sunday, April 7, 2013, at Hunter's Glen.

She was born on March 20, 1915, in Sula to Lora May and Charles Henry Wetzsteon.

She went to nursing school at St. Luke's in Spokane and later worked at Deaconess Hospital. Later she moved to Washington, D.C., and got her degree as a surgical nurse and was head of in and out surgery for 10 years.

She moved back to Missoula in 1969 and married Walter Robert Simmons, whom she knew in high school from Corvallis.

She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church and served on many committees.

She loved to writing poetry. Her poems were illustrated in the newsletters at one of the retirement homes for five years. Also, she loved to paint water colors.

She is preceded in death by her parents; her husband; sister, Frances Howard and husband Merton Howard; and several aunts, uncles and cousins.

Survivors include her daughter, Jo Anne (Jon) Peterson; granddaughters, Betty Brennan in New Jersey and Emily (George) Thornton in Virginia; four great-grandchildren, Mackenzie and Connor Brennan, Hailey and Christopher Thornton; as well as several nieces and nephews.

There will be no service at her request.

Instead of flowers, she asked that donations be made to the First Presbyterian Church in her memory.

Read Lora Simmons's Obituary and Guestbook on www.missoulafuneralhomes.com.