T.J. Simmons

A retired HVAC department superintendent at LSU, he died at 9:58 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 5, 2009, at The Carpenter House in Baton Rouge. He was 80, a resident of Jayess, Miss., and a native of Tylertown, Miss. Visitation at Hartman-Hughes Funeral Home, Tylertown, on Tuesday, Sept. 8, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Visitation at Mesa Baptist Church, Tylertown, on Wednesday, Sept. 9, from 1 p.m. until service at 2 p.m., conducted by the Rev. Shane Freeman. Interment in Rushing Cemetery, Tylertown. Survived by his wife of 62 years of marriage, Hilda Juanita Boyd Simmons; daughter, Betty Simmons Fontenot and husband Donald Fontenot, of Baton Rouge; three sons, Billy R. Simmons and wife Patricia Simmons, Maurepas, Sammy J. Simmons and wife Mary Lynn Simmons, and Thomas J. Simmons, all of Gonzales; faithful Pomeranian, Lil' Red; two sisters, Lovie Lee D. Pigott, Tylertown, and Ruby Marie Dupre, Mansura; two brothers, Offie Benjamin Simmons II and Robert Simmons, of Tylertown; 15 grandchildren and 31 great-grandchildren. Preceded in death by his father and mother, Offie Benjamin Sr. and Mary Jane Lee Simmons; brothers, Wallace Simmons, Elmer Simmons and Jessie Simmons; sister, Beatrice Simmons Graves; daughter, Katherine Mary Simmons Pailette; son-in-law, Bobby Pailette; and grandson, Richard Lee Simmons. Pallbearers will be Bobby Pailette Jr., Edward Joseph Simmons, Edward Simmons Summers, Jeremy Simmons, Jordan Simmons and Billy R. Simmons Jr. Honorary pallbearers are Donald Fontenot III, Leonard Bossier, Julian Todd Alexander, A.J. Boyd, Jimmy Whiddon, Jackie R. Simmons, Jimmy Simmons, Wesley Dillon and David Mac Graves Jr. He received the Numerous Service Distinction Award from LSU and enjoyed farming, hunting and fishing. T.J. was the most dedicated Ole Miss fan to ever work at LSU. Special thanks to Dr. Terry Rehn and the staffs of Our Lady of the Lake Cardiac Unit and St. Joseph Carpenter House.