Ethel Marie Simmons passed peacefully to her heavenly home on the evening of June 27 with all five children surrounding her bed at Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett.
Ethel was the first child born to Carsten and Viola Knaplund in Ketchikan, Alaska, on Aug. 7, 1935. Her parents and grandparents were fish buyers in Kelly’s Cove on Noyes Island. Her family moved to Whidbey Island in 1949, where they built and ran Knaplund Hardware in Clinton until 1974.
She is preceded in death by her beloved parents; husband, Carl; and grandson, Timothy Roth. She is survived by brother John (Marlene) Knaplund and their sons, Tim, Jeff and Gregg and families; children, Don (Suzy) Simmons, Kathy (Peter) Roth, Kenon (Sherri) Simmons, Lynette (Chris) Gallagher and Loren (Jeni) Simmons; grandchildren, Emily (Ryan) Brotherton, Ben (Anne) Simmons, Luke and Caleb Roth, Brandon, Carly and Taylor Simmons, Ashley (Travis) Van Overbeke, Katelyn Gallagher, Jacob, Samantha and Audrey Simmons; great-grandchildren, Evie and Ella Brotherton, Jonathan Roth, Katherine Simmons, Lillian and Stella Van Overbeke.
At age 15, she met Carl Simmons, a cute boy with a car. She graduated from Langley High School in 1954, attended Everett Business College, and worked at Everett Trust and Savings Bank. She and Carl were married on April 17, 1955, at the Church of Christian Fellowship (became Langley C&MA) in Langley.
She worked at National Bank of Commerce in Seattle before starting a family and moving back to the island. She raised five children and helped Carl run the family business, Simmons Glass. They were both very active in the Langley C&MA church.
On retirement, she and Carl enjoyed traveling with overseas trips to the Philippines, Norway and Israel. They took the grandkids on Alaska cruises and trips to the East Coast. They also enjoyed many winters in Arizona with family and friends. Carl passed away in 2011 following a lengthy illness.
Ethel stayed busy working in the church library, gathering with other widows and visiting her children and grandchildren.
Special thanks to the doctors and nurses at the Everett Clinic and Providence for their wonderful care and support.
Memorial gifts can be directed to The Island Church, PO Box 322, Langley, WA 98260. A memorial service will be held at noon Saturday, July 26, at the Island Church, 503 Cascade Ave., Langley.
