Nellie Simons

1920 - 2019

DELPHOS — Nellie Anne Simons, 98, of Delphos, passed away on Sunday afternoon, June 30, at her home. Her son, John, was with her when she died.

She was born December 4, 1920, in Delphos. She was the eldest child of Thomas L. and Rose M. Fornefeld Finlay. Her father, aged 69 years, died on February 13, 1961, in Dayton, OH, and her mother, aged 84 years, died on February 4, 1983, in Delphos. She was also predeceased by a brother, Leonard E. Finlay, aged 18 years, who was killed in action while serving in the Army on August 13, 1950, near Taegu, Korea, and a sister, Mary Marguerite Wannemacher, aged 70 years, who died July 29, 1995, in Delphos.

Nellie married George V. Simons, also formerly of Delphos, on November 8, 1944, at Camp Chaffee, AK. They had six children, all born in Lima, OH, where the couple made their home. Five of these survive, who are: Dr. George V. Simons, of Ocala, FL.; David M. Simons, of Temperance, MI; Paul G. Simons, of Naperville, IL; Fr. James M. Simons, of Versailles, OH; and John M. Simons, of Delphos. Their only daughter, Joan M. Simons, died on April 25, 2006, in Delphos, aged 53 years. Nellie is also survived by one daughter-in-law, six grandchildren, and eleven great-grandchildren.

It was after eighteen years of marriage that her husband, George, aged 43 years, passed away on May 17, 1963, in Lima. At that time, their children ranged in age from four to sixteen years old. Nellie was faced with raising these six children on her own.

Having graduated from Delphos St. John High School in 1938, Nellie attended one year at Mary Manse College in Toledo, OH. Afterwards, she held four short term, successive jobs working at Colonial Finance, in Lima, as a typist; at Delphos Welfare, as a bookkeeper; at Shenk's Dry Goods Store, in Delphos, as a clerk, and at a Delphos area chicken farm or hatchery, candling eggs. Jobs were hard to come by during the great depression, so she was glad to eventually find work at Charles H. Meyers Cleaners, in Delphos, as a bookkeeper. She held this job from 1940 until July 31, 1946, shortly before the birth of her first child. In October, 1961, Nellie and George opened the Northland Plaza Laundromat, in Lima, Ohio. After her husband's death, Nellie sold the business on April 4, 1967.

It was in October of 1965 that Nellie began to teach remedial reading at St. Gerard School for two years. Afterwards, she taught the fourth grade at St. Gerard School from 1967 until 1971. It was during these years that she also began taking courses in earnest toward her college degree.

She often traveled to nearby cities to attend these classes. She completed all of the course work necessary for her college degree in December of 1971, attending her final term at Mary Manse College, in Toledo, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Studies degree, on May 21, 1972.

She substitute taught at St. Gerard School and at the Elida Public School from January until April, 1972, when she was hired as a full-time teacher by the Lima Public Schools. She finished out that year teaching second grade at Washington McKinley. At Washington Irving, she taught the third grade for six years from 1972-1978. At Horace Mann, she taught the second grade from

1978-1979, the third grade from 1979-1980, and the fourth grade from 1980-1981, taking many of the same students through three grades of school. Still at Horace Mann, she taught the third grade from 1981-1987, and the second grade from 1987-1988. She retired from teaching in the spring of 1988.

While teaching full-time at the Lima Public Schools, Nellie continued her education. She graduated from the University of Dayton on July 30, 1978 with a Master of Science in Education degree. In the following years, she earned many additional credit hours toward a second master's degree in counseling.

Even as a small child, Nellie loved school. She had a perfect attendance record at Delphos St. John's Schools, and used to cry on the days there was no school.

After she retired, Nellie became very active in her church. On September 24, 1989, she was professed in the Secular Franciscans. She was a founding member of Our Lady of the Angels Franciscan Fraternity. In September 1990, she began a five year course in lay ministry formation. She was commissioned on May 7, 1995, by His Excellency, the Most Reverend James Hoffman, Bishop of Toledo.

Nellie volunteered as an extraordinary minister of the Eucharist, in which capacity she took communion to shut-ins and distributed communion to patients at St. Rita's Hospital. She also volunteered at the St. Vincent DePaul Food Pantry, distributing food and scheduling volunteers, and at the Our Daily Bread Soup Kitchen, serving hot meals and scheduling volunteers. She volunteered in many capacities at St. Charles Parish, in Lima, such as serving on the Social Concerns Committee, and teaching C.C.D. and R.C.I.A.

Since moving back to Delphos, in 1999, she has been a member of St. John Parish. Nellie has also been active in social clubs, community groups, and prayer/study groups. In the summer of 1934, she and eleven of her classmates formed a card club which was known as the Amity Club. They played pinochle in the early days, but later changed to bridge. The club continued until only several years ago. She was a member of Church Women United, having served as chairwoman of ecumenical development. She was a member of Theresians, and of the Friends of the Little Flower.

In more recent years, Nellie had to curtail her many activities, devoting herself more perfectly to prayer.

Friends may call on Wednesday and Thursday, from 2:00-8:00 p.m. at Weber Funeral Home, 1840 E. Fifth Street, Delphos. A Parish Wake Service will be held at 7:45 p.m. on Thursday.

The Reverend James L. Simons will officiate at a Funeral Mass to be offered at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, Delphos on Friday, July 5 at 10:00 a.m. Burial will follow in the family plot at Gethsemani Cemetery, in Lima.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. John's Parish Foundation. Online condolences may be shared at www.weberfh.net.