Kathleen Thomas Simmons

Page A4 Thursday, September 4, 2025 MAGNOLIA GAZETTE Obituaries Kathleen Thomas Simmons 1927 - 2025 Kathleen Thomas Simmons, 97, of Osyka, passed away on August 26, 2025 at Camellia Estates from this sinfilled world, to her eternal home in heaven with our Lord Jesus Christ.

A graveside service was held Friday August 29, at Osyka Cemetery in Osyka, the Reverend Jacob Williams did officiate. Hartman-Jones Funeral Home of McComb is in charge of arrangements.

Kathleen was born November 28, 1927 in Osyka, to the late, Charles J. and Bessie Newman Thomas.

She is the youngest of 10 children.

She was born and grew up in the big City of Osyka. She attended Osyka Baptist Church all twelve years of her schooling and graduated from the Osyka School.

After graduation she attended Southeastern College in Hammond, LA, and Draugh Business College in Baton Rouge, LA. After completing business college in secretarial science; she went to Jackson, and became secretary to a number of top executives with South Central Bell and AT&T. She was employed by AT&T for forty plus years, then retired and married her long time sweetheart and dance partner, Fenner G. Simmons.

Over the forty years in Jackson she had many wonderful friends from her work and the First Baptist Church of Jackson; but Osyka Baptist Church will always hold a special place in her heart.

She is one of the last of a vanishing breed of women “A True Southern Lady”. Sweet and polite most of the time, but at other times smart and cunning and a true adversary for anyone. “ A True Southern Lady” That’s our aunt “Kat”. She was preceded in death by her husband; her parents; 5 brothers, Albert Thomas, Gilbert Thomas, Louis Thomas, Charles Thomas and a baby boy Thomas; 4 sisters, Rody Thomas Costas, Margaret Thomas Butts, Alyene Thomas Mixon and Christine Thomas Mixon and numerous nieces and nephews.

She is survived by a special niece (who she loved like a daughter) Betty Joe Beadle (husband Sherwin) of Osyka; a great-nephew, Charles (Chuck) Sanders (husband Wil) with numerous other nieces and nephews.

The family would like to thank the wonderful sitters that she had; Ruby Ashley, Gwen Johnson, Elaine Jackson and Ava Hughes and the Nurses and staff at Camellia Estates and St. Lukes Hospice.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be sent to, Osyka Baptist Church, Osyka Presbyterian Church and the Ronald McDonald House in Jackson.