Vivian Simmons Passes Away

Vivian Marie Simmons also known as “Grams” was born on Tuesday October 28th 1919 in Olney Oklahoma and died on Tuesday August 14th at 12:23 AM in Costa Mesa, California.  

She lived for 36,804 days and would have turned 99 in October. Vivian was a wonderful human being with amazing energy and a  real firecracker quick wit.  

She was a beloved daughter to Julius and Lily Lawrence and had 9 siblings who she adored: Arthur (Jack) Lawrence, Virginia Morrison, Rex Lawrence, Mergie Kent, Ettie Lou Basket, Johnnie Bell Patterson,  Wayne Lawrence, Julius (Skeet) Lawrence and Melba Oliver.

Vivian attended Olney High School and graduated in 1937. She fell in love with my Beakley Simmons and they married in 1940. In December of that year she gave birth to Wendell Simmons. Shortly after, the family loaded up and moved to Lomita California where they lived for 78 years.  

A few years after moving to California Vivian had her 2nd son Glynn Simmons and raised her children while Beakley fought in Japan during World War II.

Vivian survived to see 5 generations in her family as Grandmother to Mark, Wendy, Geoffrey, and Victoria. She is also a Great Grandmother to Brandy, Candice, Gabriel, Brianna and Jack, as well as, a Great-Great Grandmother to baby Hudson and baby Gwendelyn who was named after her son Wendell and born just days before her passing.  

Vivian’s hobbies were cooking, sewing, and dancing. She was known for her beautiful dresses (matching shoes and purses), petticoats and big 1960’s hairdos. She and Beakley travelled and danced all around the world and even won several trophies for square dancing.  

She also took cake decorating classes and loved making custom cakes for her family’s birthdays every year.  Vivian was loved by a everyone that knew her and she will be greatly missed.