Carla Annette Simmons

Carla Annette Simmons, 54, of Siloam Springs, Arkansas, passed away on April 30, 2025, at her home. She was born February 2, 1971, in Chattanooga, Tennessee, to Harry McQueen and Joyce (Tucker) McQueen. She was the youngest of 3 daughters.
Carla is survived by her husband, Brad, her parents Harry and Joyce, her older sister Kim, Kim's husband Carl, her middle sister, Lisa McQueen, Lisa's wife, Audrey, nephew Christian, his wife Jessi, their two children, Zelda and Strider, nephew Hunter, niece Caralissa, her husband, Skip Jr. and their 2 boys, Oliver and Liem.
Brad and Carla made the decision not to have children of their own because of the complications from her Marfan Syndrome. They choose to have children by teaching instead. Carla started her own school, called Similet School when she was 5. She had the best educated stuffed animals and dolls in town. Her educational career continued for the next 50 years.
She graduated from Southwestern Adventist Education with a bachelor's in Elementary Education in 1995, and in 2005 from Southwestern Adventist University with her M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction with a reading emphasis. During her career she taught in many schools in Texas, Virginia, and Arkansas. She taught everything from Pre-K to even a summer college unit. Because she and Brad taught in many small schools, she generally took the younger grades, because that isn't Brad's area of expertise. However, her heart was always with the junior high students. She absolutely adored her OAS 7th and 8th graders.
Near the end of Mary Poppins, Mary asks, "And what would happen to me, may I ask, if I loved all the children I said goodbye to?" Carla never understood this question, she just made space in her heart and counted one more incredible young person as part of her family.
Carla's passions were Jesus, her husband, her dogs, Bonnie and Clyde, travel, baseball, Cades Cove, and especially Adventist Education.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations in her name to one of 2 schools she dearly loved Cleburne Adventist Christian School in Cleburne, Texas, or Ozark Adventist School in Gentry, Arkansas. She would love for just one more young person to know her precious friend, Jesus.
A Celebration of Life will be held Wednesday, May 7 at 1:00 pm, at the Springtown Seventh-day Adventist church, in Gentry, Arkansas. There will be a second Celebration in Texas at the Cleburne First Seventh-day Adventist Church on June 7 at 3:00 pm.
To sign the online guestbook, please visit: www.wassonfuneralhome.com