John William Simmons

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John William Simmons went home to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, surrounded by his family, on Sunday, Nov. 12, at Regional West Medical Center in Scottsbluff, Nebraska after struggling with complications from pneumonia.  He was 89.  A viewing was held at Colyer’s Funeral Home in Torrington on Wednesday, Nov. 15.  Services were conducted by John’s son, Pastor Randy Simmons, at Bethel Baptist Church in Torrington on Thursday, Nov. 16 at followed by a graveside service at Valley View Cemetery in Torrington.
John was born to N.J. “Jat” and Nora Frata (nee Fletcher) Simmons on Dec. 11, 1927 in Torrington.  John grew up on the family ranch 22 miles north of Torrington.  He loved everything about the ranch.  His love of the country and his work ethic all started there.  He attended the one room rural Midway School through his sophomore year and then finished up at Torrington High School in 1946.  
When he was four years old he came down with polio which resulted in several surgeries on his legs and feet around the age of eleven or twelve.  But because of the Lord’s strength, the love of his parents and family, the best medical help available at the time, and John’s enduring strong stubborn will, he lived a very normal mobile life.  Only in his later years did he need the aid of canes and eventually a walker, but never had a wheelchair.  Quite a feat for a post-polio individual.  He just continued to push himself to walk.
John grew up attending First Baptist Church of Torrington with his family.  When he was 12, an itinerant cowboy evangelist held meetings at Torrington High School.  During the invitation time on one of the meeting nights, John received Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.
After John graduated from high school, he went back to his old school Midway  and taught for a year, and then went on to Colorado A&M (now Colorado State University) for two years.  While at college John was very involved in the campus ministry, Inter-Varsity.  It was through Inter-Varsity that John began to feel the Lord’s call on his life to go into ministry which was very difficult for him as he had planned to go back to the family ranch.  But during the summer after his second year of college while working as a counselor at Camp Grace on Laramie Peak, he yielded to God’s call for ministry.
It was during this time at Camp Grace that John also met the love of his life, Rose Abshire, who was a teacher at the camp.  They were married the following summer on July 3, 1950.  They had three children, Kathy, Mark, and Randy.
After that summer at Camp Grace when John met Rose, he transferred to Northwestern College in Minneapolis Minnesota where both he and Rose attended.  In 1953, John graduated with a degree in Bible and Pastoral Studies.  In 1954, he and Rose moved to Broadus, Montana and started First Baptist Church there.  That church is still thriving today.  He left in 1957 and for the next 34 years he was a pastor of churches in Wyoming, South Dakota, and North Dakota.  He finished his full-time ministry at Bethel Baptist Church in Torrington, Wyoming, on December 31, 1990, and then had two more extensive interim pastorates after that.  
John was a hard worker, a great leader, a faithful preacher and teacher of God’s Word, but most of all a very loving compassionate shepherd.  He was the most loving, devoted, and faithful husband, father, and grandfather one could have.  No one ever doubted his love as he constantly expressed and demonstrated it.  He supported his children and grandchildren in all of their sports, activities, and interests.  He was also incredibly generous with both his children and grandchildren.
Most of all, John was in love with Jesus Christ.  He was an incredible example of faith, modeling the Christian walk and disciplines to his children and grandchildren, and to the people he pastored.  He was also a strong witness and led many people to the Lord over the years.  
He is survived by his daughter Kathy Ekblad and husband Jon of Williston, ND; son Mark Simmons and wife Marilyn of Torrington; and son Randy Simmons and wife Francine of Guernsey, WY.
He is also survived by grandchildren Jason Ekblad (Staci) and their four children, and Brad Ekblad (Angie) and their two children all of Williston North Dakota; Ty Simmons (April) of Ft. Laramie; Trevor Simmons (Brittney) and their two children of Austin Texas; Lisette Simmons of Glenwood Springs, Colorado; Lindsey Dodrill (Steve) and their son of Hylands Ranch, Colorado; Whitney Rivera (Elliot) and their eight children of Riverdale, Nebraska; Kelsey Sontag (Peter) and their three children of Robbinsdale, Minnesota; Zachariah Simmons (Justine) and their two children of Minneapolis, Minnesota; Christopher Simmons (Anna) and their three children of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; and Alli Wood (Jacob) and their daughter of St. Louis Park, Minnesota.  In total, John is survived by 11 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren.
He is also survived by his faithful caregivers Cristina Morgan, Cam Segal, and Elizabeth Parrelli who provided exceptional loving and patient care.
Preceding John in death were his parents; his wife; his brother and sister-in-law, Jack and Violet Simmons; his sister-in-law Beverly Simmons; and two great-granddaughters, Janie and Gracie Simmons.
Memorial contributions may be made to Faith Fellowship Children and Youth Programs, PO Box 729, Guernsey, Wyoming 82214.
Colyer Funeral Home of Torrington is in charge of the arrangements and friends may send condolences to the family at colyerfuneralhome.com