FLORENCE O. SIMMONS

Florence Orvis Simmons, was born July 1, 1930 to Truman and Helen Moseley in Cambridge, NE of Mesa, AZ and Estes Park, CO passed in the early morning hours of Sunday, January 16, 2022 in the presence of her son, Bruce Orvis and her sister Cheryl Moseley. Florence had long admired a poem by Linda Ellis called “The Dash Poem” (the “dash” refers to the mark between the date of birth and date of death). Two stanzas of the poem are: He noted that first come the date of birth and spoke the following date with tears, But he said what mattered most of all, was the dash between those years For that dash represents all the time that they spent alive on earth. And now only those who loved them know what that little line is worth. The “dash “ that represents Florence’s life covered a wide range of roles, activities, duties, and experiences a farmer’s wife living in Furnas County, played the piano for Sunday church services for Hendley Methodist Church, baked and decorated wedding and birthday cakes, cashier at Brodie’s Supermarket in Estes Park, CO and retail clerk.

Florence married Kenneth D. Orvis in Hendley, NE and to this union had a daughter Susan and a son Bruce. She married John Simmons in 1967 and became a mother to Johnnie (JD), Debbie, and Diana Simmons. Kenneth Orvis passed away in 1963, Debbie Simmons Kinne 1976, and John Simmons passed away in 2008. She leaves behind many adoring family members Susan, Bruce, Cheryl, JD, Kendall and family, Kendra and family, DJ and family, and Dallas. As well as a host of friends scattered around the country. Mostly, Florence will be remembered as a kind, caring, and compassionate, and loving person. In her lifetime, she experienced triumph and tragedy and came through it all with a smile on her face and love in her heart.

A “Celebration of Life” event to honor and remember Florence Orvis Simmons will be held at Berthoud-Dale Lane, Estes Park, CO this summer on a date to be determined.