BRENDA "STARR" SIMMONS 

                                               

SUNRISE: FEBRUARY 28, 1941      SUNSET: APRIL 22, 2021 

 

Brenda Trent was born in the Bronx, New York, to the late Dreama Trent. Mommy was a woman of her own accord. Grandma once told us how long mommy’s hair was and how mommy just decided to cut her own hair. If we remembered correctly, she did a great job. We remembered mommy telling us stories about how she had to always take her sister (Celene) everywhere with her. They were eleven years apart and how she hung out at Miss Connie’s, Barbara's, and Dee Dee's house. Mommy would talk about her longtime friendship with Phillisha and all the great times they grew up. 

 

Mommy was only a teenager when she met and fell in love with our father the late Carl A. Simmons, Sr. They were married on July 18, 1964, and remained married for 39 years until her husband’s untimely death. We never met a man who loved and adored their wife the way our father did, she was his stinky (his nickname for her). As a woman who adored her husband just as much. Mommy worked for Alexander's Department Store, as well as North Side Savings Bank, where she retired. Mommy took her skills for banking and applied them to everyday life. She would make purchases and have the store clerk recount everything if she thought she was being overcharged, and the craziness was she was always right. If we had to use a word to describe our mom, it would be a strength. We have seen mommy tackle life's adversities, and always with a smile on her face. Our mom never cared about tomorrow. She had always lived in the here and now. Her favorite saying was “I will take care of today, and when tomorrow comes I will take care of tomorrow”. 

 

Mommy demanded respect, and if you thought you were going to disrespect her, she had no problem correcting you. Mommy had to come outside for her children a few times, do not let her kind exterior fool you. We remembered when we would have friends over, she would call herself playing with them and with her heavy-handed self-knock the crap out of them and start laughing. Mommy was not a loud person, but her voice was always heard, anything that she believed in she stood up for and won. Mommy loved arts & crafts, making pillows, and dolls. She loved hanging out with her children and grandkids. Mommy loved to shop and dress always matching from head to toe, down to the purse. Mommy loved pastel colors anything bright, and her idol was Betty Boop, I guess for her sass. Mommy enjoyed decorating her house and our father always appreciated the little things she would do. She was a kid at heart and enjoyed her stuffed toys or things that would sing, make noise, and danced when the music played. 

 

Brenda Simmons is proceeded in death by her loving mother, Dreama Trent, and her husband, Carl A. Simmons Sr. 

 

Brenda is survived by her loving sister, Celene Doyley; five children, Carla Leacraft, Nora Simmons, Carl A. Simmons Jr, Victoria (Maria) Simmons, and Julia Simmons; grandchildren, Dreama Leacraft, Xavier Anderson, Mary Leacraft, Kiyanna Simmons, Ronald Brooks Jr, Diondra Simmons, Iyana Conway, Justin Simmons, and Diamond Brooks; great-grandchildren, Jayden Ramirez, Ariana Anderson, Mason Colbert, Nevaeh Colbert, Niyah Conway, Alaina Anderson, Elijah Simmons, and Xyla Anderson; sons-in-law, David Leacraft, Derrick Simmons, and Maliek Conway; daughters-in-law, Darlene Simmons and Emily Anderson; a host of nieces, nephews, and other relatives and friends. 

 

We feel honored and privileged to have been your children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, sister, friends, and family. You were always loved unconditionally and you were the best mom, grandma, sister, and friend anyone could have wish for.

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Lovingly Submitted,

The Simmons Family