Margie was born on the family farm near Centerview, Missouri on June 9, 1924 to Lorrin Lee and Gertrude Ethel Haile Simmons. She attended a one-room schoolhouse at Highland Rural School/Columbus Rural School, Johnson County, Missouri, prior to graduating from College High School, Warrensburg, Missouri at age 15 in 1940. Lee taught Margie everything she learned in first grade, so when Margie started school, she skipped to her sister’s 2nd grade class. The next year, she moved to the 4th grade, as there were not enough students for a 3rd grade class.
Margie and Leigh joined the Civil Service at Sedalia Field in Warrensburg Missouri, and subsequently relocated to San Antonio to work at Kelly Field. There she met Scotty, an airman who had flown in from Montevideo and needed supplies.
While in high school and also at Sedalia Field, the Simmons Sisters sang and yodeled in harmony as Margie played guitar. They sang on KDRO radio Sedalia, the Springfield, Missouri radio, and the Ozark Oprey with Porter Wagner, Tex Ritter and Patsy Montana. While in San Antonio, the sisters sang on live radio for KONO and for charity events, and they were invited to participate in country showcases where they met many other leading country music stars of the 50’s. Margie continued to enjoy singing for various events, with friends and family. She particularly enjoyed singing with Sam Brodsgaard, her music therapist at Sterling House in Weatherford, Texas.
Margie continued to work for the Civil Service as she and Scotty, still in the Air Force moved approximately every three years various locations, including Ottawa, Canada; Greenville, South Carolina; Savannah, Georgia; Oahu, Hawaii; Charlotte, North Carolina, and finally, Sacramento, California. Margie retired from the Civil Service after 42 years in 1990.
Her travels, not counting those she took with Scotty in their small airplane, such as flying from Ottawa to New York City for the Easter Parade, included visiting Mexico, China, Japan, Spain, Argentina, Uruguay, Australia, New Guinea, and Germany, as well as cruising to Alaska.
Margie lost Scotty, the light of her life, in February of 2007. Her granddaughter, Katherine Walker moved to California to take care of her in 2009, and then in 2010, Margie moved to Texas to be near Terri, who cared for her thereafter.
A memorial service will be held in Weatherford, Texas at Sterling House
at 2 pm November 6, 2012, and in December another memorial will be held
in Sacramento for her family and friends and neighbors of almost 40
years. Her wit, charm, warmth, generosity, kindness, and sense of humor
will be sorely missed.
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