Larry "Percy" Wayne Simmons

Larry W. “Percy” Simmons

A Celebration of Life gathering will be held from 2-4 p.m., Sunday, May 29th at the VFW John Myers Post, 413 Lincoln St. in Knoxville.

Memorials in Larry’s name may be left at the Celebration of Life gathering or may be left at the Wallace Family Funeral Home, 1115 E. 19th St. N., Newton, IA 50208. Memorials may also be mailed to the funeral home, please add Attn: Simmons Family on the envelope.

Larry Wayne “Percy” Simmons, the son of Ardery D. and Jean Elizabeth Chambers Simmons, was born August 12, 1941 in Knoxville, Iowa. He grew up in the Marion County area and he graduated in 1959 from Pleasantville High School in Pleasantville, Iowa. He served in the Iowa National Guard and received the Marksmanship Award.

In 1965, Larry was united in marriage with Barbara Kingery. They were blessed with three children, Kimberly, Kirk and Kent. Larry started out working on relative’s farms and later drove truck for an agricultural trucking firm out of Pleasantville. He then worked many years for Van Vark Construction in Pella, as a builder and finish carpenter. He also worked many nights and weekends moonlighting side jobs. Larry and his sons started Simmons Construction, where he worked until his health wouldn’t allow him to.

Larry had a passion for family and friends and he never knew a stranger. He would help family and friends, even if it meant he went without for a while. He took on projects others wouldn’t; he enjoyed the challenge. He could build or fix anything. Larry was an avid collector of western guns and cowboy memorabilia. He loved auctions, garage sales and flea markets. He enjoyed working on his model train display and mowing the yard. He had a great passion for his dog, Nashooba Losa “Scooby”. We appreciated Mercy Medical Center–ICU letting her come see Larry in his final hours. Larry continued his giving following his death; he donated his body to the University of Iowa Deeded Body Program to help students in their education and donated his corneas so that two people would be able to see.

Larry was a member of the Pleasantville Alumni Association, the Emerson Hough Chapter of the Izaak Walton League in Newton. He enjoyed Thursday night suppers there and the new friends he had made. Larry was a devoted and caring son, brother, husband, father, grandpa, great-grandpa, uncle, cousin and friend.

Larry entered Heaven on Monday, May 16, 2016, he was 74. He spent his final days surrounded in the love of his family and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, sister, Lela Wensel; brother-in-law, Charles Feagins; and his favorite aunt and uncle, Myrtle and Phillip Simmons.  

Those left to honor and cherish Larry’s memory are his children, Kimberly (Shawn) Gressley of Newton, Kimberly’s children, Ben (René), Shelby and Zach and Kimberly’s grandchildren, Larry’s great-grandchildren, Haley, Hanah, Carter and Emberlen; Kirk Simmons of Winterset, Kirk’s children, Tyler and Cody and Kirk’s grandchild, Larry’s great-grandchild, Skylyn; and Kent (Courtney) Simmons of Urbandale, Kent’s children, Brewer, Cash, Boden and Walker; sister, Dixie Feagins of Knoxville; and nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

 Service Information