Stephen Simmons

Stephen Austin Simmons, 64, of West Monroe, Louisiana, a devoted family man, treasured friend and accomplished purveyor of humor, passed away March 8, 2023.

Steve was born in Jacksonville, Florida, on October 6, 1958, to Peggy and Gene Simmons. He attended Highland Elementary, and still treasures friendships with school friends from those days. He graduated from West Monroe High School in 1976, and was a Kappa Alpha Order, Gamma Nu Chapter, at NLU.

Steve married Mary Margaret in 1988 and lovingly helped raise her son Matt. He is remembered as an immediate pal to the nieces and nephews he inherited, joining them in the yard to “throw the football”. Later, he became adoring Grandad to Ava and Claire.

Steve and Mary are the owners and developers of Daffodil Hill Farms in West Monroe. Daffodil Hill Farms is the home of prize-winning miniature horses, which Steve and Mary enjoyed showing across the country.  Steve was known as the Chef on Daffodil Hill Farms, where he loved to spend long hours cooking and hosting family and friends. Away from the Farm, Steve was Sales Manager at Jim Taylor Ford in Ruston.

Steve is predeceased by his mother, Peggy Ann Beer, his father, Eugene Austin Simmons, his father-in-law, David Quentin Rankin, Sr., and his brother-in-law, Robert W. (Scotty) Irby.

Survivors are his wife, Mary Margaret Rankin Simmons of West Monroe; his son, Matt Morris, daughter-in-law, Nikki, and granddaughters Ava and Claire Morris, all of Austin, Texas; his sister, Sheryl Simmons Garavelli of Collierville, Tennessee; Uncle RT and Aunt Sue Moore and Aunt Bettye Lile, all from Jacksonville, Florida and his mother-in-law, Maxine Rankin of West Monroe. Steve will also be missed by his brothers and sisters-in-law, Ronald and Debbie Rankin of West Monroe; David and Terri Rankin of Lawrenceville, Georgia; and Linda Rankin Irby of Madison, Mississippi; as well as a two-generation mass crowd of loving nieces and nephews; and Bishop, his Boston Terrier. 

Graveside Services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, March 12, 2023, at Roselawn Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Calhoun, with Bro. Danny Chance officiating. There will be a celebration of Steve’s life immediately afterwards at the Simmons home in West Monroe.

Honorary Pallbearers will be long-time friends, “the original five”, from his Highland Elementary second grade class, Charlie McCain, Jimmy Henderson, Matt Shepard and Gary Maxey.

Pallbearers will be Greg Haddox, Jeff Blackstock, Darrell Meggs, Darren Collie, and Scott Winstead.