Richard Parks Simmons' Obituary
Richard Parks Simmons was born July 22nd, 1937, in Bemis, TN, to William Lowell Simmons Sr. and Lois Virble Simmons.
Bemis was a small, close-knit cotton mill town founded in 1900. He grew up with his older brother, Bill (William Lowell Jr.), and David. They enjoyed a country childhood that included playing football, baseball, riding bikes, jumping off bridges, and jumping on trains. He played football at J.B. Young High School while watching a certain cheerleader named Marge. They married at age 15.
Richard worked at many diverse jobs, including grocery clerk, butcher, milkman, breadman, salesman for Pillsbury, and military food broker. He worked for Central Church, Olford Ministries International, and Shoemaker Financial Company. After retiring, he worked several part-time jobs, but his favorite was working in Code Enforcement for the City of Collierville.
He was a servant of the Lord. He grew up in First Baptist Church in Bemis. After moving the family to Memphis in 1966, he joined Park Avenue Baptist Church, where he served as Chairman of the deacons, taught Sunday school, and sang in the choir. He and Marge moved their membership to Collierville First Baptist Church after moving to Byhalia, MS.
Richard had many hobbies. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, woodworking, golf, and reading. He liked to build bird houses and enjoyed bird watching. He also had a special interest in investigating his family genealogy. Richard enjoyed being with his family and friends, which included many golf cart rides, Sunday lunches after church, and many games of Mexican train dominoes. He loved singing gospel music with his friends Jake and Evelyn Deason, and Ben and Betty Cummings, as well as attending all-night southern gospel singings. His favorite vacations were spent with family at Disney, Camping at Sardis Lake, Gatlinburg, and Tennessee Volunteers football games.
Richard is survived by his loving wife of 73 years, Marjorie Simmons, his daughters Pam Simmons, Bettye Simmons Crouch, and Laura Simmons, his grandson James Crouch III (Trey) and wife Casey, great-grandsons Logan, Oliver, and Henry Crouch, his granddaughter Trinity Looker and husband Ben.
The family will receive friends at Collierville First Baptist Church on Monday, April 13, 2026, from 10:00 until the funeral services at 11:00. Interment will be in Memorial Park Cemetery. There will be time for fellowship in the Parkside Event Center at Memorial Park Funeral Home following the interment service.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Tunica Humane Society, or Samaritan's Purse.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Memorial Park Funeral Home and Cemetery, 5668 Poplar Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee 38119 (901) 767-8930.
“Where Memphis comes to remember, since 1924.”
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