Hilda “Sami” Simmons, 83, went to be with the Lord on November 12, 2012.
Sami was born in Holguin, Cuba. She had been a resident of Pinellas Park since 2003, after having lived in Texas, North Carolina and Florida. After Sami retired from real estate she was able to focus on her artistic side. You could find her at craft shows selling her arts and crafts. She was also a credit counselor and had a lifting spirit to everyone she met. Sami was a very loving person. She was called Mom or Grandma because everyone was family to Sami. She enjoyed teaching Sunday School and was a member of Suncoast Cathedral.
Sami is predeceased by her parents, Fernando and Juana Silvestre; a son, Dennis Powell; and a daughter, Juanita Powell. She is survived by her loving family: her husband of 48 years, Don Simmons of Pinellas Park, FL; her children, Sandra Parker and her husband Don of Avon Park, FL; Wayne Powell and his wife, Patty of Bellingham, WA; Tom Powell and his wife, Martha of Houston, TX; Sabrena Parker of Tonawanda, NY; Don Simmons of Statesville, NC; Jack Simmons of Hollywood, FL; a brother, Hector Silvestre of Melbourne, FL; a sister, Blanche Almerico of Lutz, FL; thirteen (13) grandchildren and seven (7) great grandchildren.
The memorial service is 3 pm, Saturday, November 17, 2012, at Suncoast Cathedral Chapel, 2300 62nd Avenue North, St. Petersburg, Florida 33702 with Pastor Tim Suddreth, to officiate. The placement will be 9:15 am, Friday, November 23, 2012 at Bay Pines National Cemetery, 10000 Bay Pines Blvd., Bay Pines, Florida 33744 with Pastor Tim Suddreth, officiating. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to be made in her honor, Sami Simmons, to Suncoast Hospice Foundation, 5771 Roosevelt Blvd., Clearwater, FL 33760.
Veterans Funeral Care
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Our hearts go out to you, Don. We pray the comfort of the Holy Spirit will undergird you today and each forthcoming day. May precious memories that bring a tear also at the same time bring joy to your heart. We remember our first meeting with you and Sami at Silver Saints.
Don and family, we extend our sincere condolences at your time of loss. Little did we know how close we now live to you. Please know that you and your family are in our thoughts and prayers.
My heart is sad and heavy as I have come to love both Sami and Don as they have both been so good to me. I do though find comfort in the knowledge that Sami is no longer in pain, and know that she is at peace in Heaven.
We are so blessed to have known Sami. She was a precious part of our home group and our church, even though she was not able to attend often due to her health the past few years. She was such a bubbly personality and warmed the room with her laughter and smile. We will miss her greatly. Our love and prayers to you, Don.
Love and blessings, Sue and Dave Ricker
My heart goes out to Don, my Daddy, and everyone who is mourning the loss of this great woman! I loved her like she was my own mama, and I would have definitely been there at her side if I could have! I am so happy I was there with everyone in June, having fun with her, and giving her my loving touch. She touched my life deeply, and she will be in my heart forever. Sami was a shining example of what we call Aloha, which is the unconditional love of God, and her connection to family and family values impacted my life in a very big way. I love you all, and I am honored to be a part of this family, and especially send my big love and prayers to Don, who is a very fine man and deserves the best of all we can do to support him right now. Many thanks to Sami, and much love to all! love Patti
Our thoughts and prayers are with you Don and with your family.
Jane(Hetzler)Shimmin & Ken
May God Give you peace and strength. She will missed here on this earth by everyone who knew , BUt oh what a Rejoycing must be going on in Heaven…. Love& Prayers to you Don.
Heaven has taken back an Angel. What a special person She was. I will never forget the good times we had while you were living down here in South Florida. I am thankful for having both of you part of my Journey. She will surely be missed.
Sami will be greatly missed by so many people. Her sweet spirit touched the lives of everyone she met. May God be with Don during this time. With sincere Sympathy, Barbara and Bill
Love You Sami and family.You are in the best place now.
Don and Family,
During this sad time may the G-d of all comfort both comfort and strengthen you.
When I think of Sami I remember her jubilance and her enthusiasm for G-d and the things of G-d. She is now in His presence. I imagine she is beside herself with joy, jumping and leaping in His presence.
She was a special gift to you all and to her friends. She will not be forgotten but treasured in the hearts of those who knew her best.
Yvonne and Chris Sherrer
The world has lost a wonderful and caring personality. thank you for blessing me with your passion and love of life.
Skip Wiley
Whatever soothes your spirit, comforts your soul, and brings you peace…that’s what you are wished at this time.
Don, I am so soory to hear about your loss. Please know that my thoughts and prayers are with you and all your family. The few times I was around her I thought she was a special person. Once again, you are in my prayers. ruthie
I miss mom, so much!! Love ya DAD!! I will always be here for you!! Love ya!!
Don and Family, were not able to be there with you’s, we are in spirit! we are rejoicing in Mama sami’s home going.your family taught us alot of life’s lessons.whether it was in the men’s ministry or women’s.God continue to guide guard and protect each and every one of Mama sami’s family. we love you, always. Lindy&Pattie xoxoxo
I am so sorry to hear of Sami’s passing. I’ve known her, literally, all of my life. From the time I was a baby and she would babysit me, through the times growing up when my mom & dad would visit Don & Sami and their family on a regular basis to have game-nights and TV nights, to vacations. Sami was a wonderful woman, and is my second mom. I pray she is up in Heaven, watching over all of us as a guardian angel would do. She is perfect for the job, and for that we should all be proud. God Bless her family, extended family, friends, and associates. Much love, Doug
Don, My condolences to you and your family..
Sami was a such a gracious and exceptional lady. She will be deeply missed. My thoughts and my prayers are with you at this difficult time.
Don and family,So very sorry for your loss. Sami was such a great person. She will be missed by all. Sami was so sweet and caring! My prayers are with you.
Dear Don & family,
We are truly sorry for your loss, yet joyful for Sami! What a woman of God she was! We are blessed to have known her. Psalms 119 tells us:Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints”. The word “precious” means, valuable, of inestimable worth, surely that describes Sami. May the Holy Spirit be your comfort in the days to come.
Love, The DesJardins
It would have been lovely to meet you. I am certain you were an amazing woman. I hope you enjoy your new home, and remain in every ones hearts.
I love you Mom, more than anything. Being your youngest, we had a special relationship. I cherish the LOVE you shared with not only me, but everyone that had the opportunity to meet you. I have thousands of brothers and sisters around the world because of you willingness to help anyone & everyone. Thank you Mom for bringing me in to this world and supporting me like you did. I promise to carry on the love you showed me. R.I.P Mom. I love you & always will!!
Your baby boy, Jack PS. Dad and I are gunna travel & will always have you in our heart & minds everywhere we go, you will be with us.
A Great one left us to be with the lord.
he must have needed some back up.
She will be missed by all that knew her
Love you Tia.
Sorry for loss sounds like she was a wonderful mother and grandmother and friend wish i could have gotten to know her better. She will be missed.
Sami has been the most beautiful example of Christ’s love in action that I have ever experienced and I wish she were still here to share this life with. Even though she is not, her love truly does go on and on and on in the lives of her family and through all those she touched. My family and I have been so blessed to know both Don and Sami and family and to be included in their lives and it’s really hard to miss her so. Our hearts are heavy for the loss but there is no doubt heaven got a lot brighter this year. Con mucho amo, Donna
My Dear Aunt Sami, you are so beautiful! Don, Jack and family – my condolences… she will definitely be missed! She is pain free and smiling down on you from Heaven now. <3
Sami is with Ms Terrific and many other beautiful loved ones. We will see her again; no more pain and suffering.
By the grace of God we too will have peace one day.
Smile when you think of her and remember the joy.
God bless the family and close friends and know Sami
Is in a much better place
You will be missed by more people than you ever thought.
Sami’s love was so big that it spilled out of her and into everyone around her (whether she knew them or not). I adored her so much and miss her deeply…but I am grateful that God gave her into my world. Her life was well lived and she left us with gifts that will last a lifetime. To all the Simmons family, I am sorry for your loss.
So very sorry for the loss of your wonderful wife, Sami. She was such a special lady and I am grateful that I was able to know her and enjoy her company. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family, my friend.
Please keep in touch.
While I did not know Sami that well personally I could tell just from the few times I met her that she was an incredibly warm and loving person. My prayers are with all of you.
Nana, is a beloved grandmother who will always be in my heart. I am glad she is out of pain and in heaven with our Lord where she can peacefully wait for us to join her. :-)
Nana, is my beloved grandmother who will always be in my heart. I am glad she is out of pain and in heaven with our Lord where she can peacefully wait for us to join her. :-)
Don, I was so sorry to hear about Sami. I wish I had been able to go down. My condolences to you and your family. My thoughts and my prayers are with you at this difficult time.
Brother Don…So much to say about Sami, Gale and I love her dearly.
Although Sami’s passing is hard to understand, it has taken its toll on the people who know and have had the opportunity to know and cherish her. Don, you have had the one person I know to have walked so closely to God. She is at peace now. The family will always have Sami in their hearts. We Love You, Bob and Gale
Aunt Sami will be sadly missed.I have very fond
family gathering memories. What a beautiful person she was, inside an out. Rest in Peace
Mama Sami has been on my mind this morning. It’s only been a couple of months since she’s resting, but I had a dream and she was in it, and it was very real. She quoted this~ “They that wait upon the Lord, they shall renew their strength, they will mount up with wings like eagles~ They will run and not be weary, they will walk and not faint~ Teach me Lord, teach me to wait”. God bless and bring peace!