John Simons, Jr.

Funeral services are scheduled on Friday, June 1 beginning at 10:00 a.m. at the First Baptist Church Artesia for long time Artesia resident John Simons, Jr. Interment will follow at Woodbine Cemetery with full military honors. Officiating at the services will be Rev. Ty Houghtaling and Rev. Mark Simons. Pall Bearers will be his six grandsons. Services are under the direction of Terpening &Son Mortuary. Public viewing will be Thursday May 31 from 10 AM until 6 PM at Terpening & Sons Mortuary.

John was born in Magdalena, NM on August 9,1922 and passed away on May 26, 2018 at age 95 at Brookdale Country Club Assisted Living Home in Roswell. He moved to Artesia in 1924 with his parents John T and Ella (Sprague) Simons and graduated from Artesia High School in 1941. He had two younger brothers David T Simons and Donald S Simons.

He married his high school sweetheart LuJuana (Monschke) Simons on April 21, 1943 at the First Baptist Church in Artesia while on leave from the U.S. Army. He shipped out for England on May 8,1944 and was assigned to the 29th Infantry division as a rifleman. John was wounded in action September 14, 1944 near Brest, France but rejoined his unit after recuperating in England to continue the attack across Germany until the war's end. He was awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart and honorably discharged as a Staff Sargent from the Army in October of 1945. John was very proud of the book he wrote in 2011 entitled "WWII My Story".In February 1949 John began a career as an agent for New York Life Insurance Company in Artesia with LuJuana serving as his secretary. He received many honors in his industry until he retired after a career spanning almost 50 years. John also served as a deacon at the First Baptist Church, president of the Artesia Rotary Club, commander of the American Legion, and was involved in many other civic and charitable organizations. He was a recipient of the Silver Beaver Award from the Boy Scouts of America for his outstanding volunteer service to the organization. He was named as Artesia's Citizen of the Year by the Artesia Chamber of Commerce and as a Local Treasure by the Artesia Museum.

John was preceded in death by his parents, brothers, wife LuJuana in 1994, and second wife Rita in 2016. He is survived by his four children Janet Ellwood and husband Bill of Gilbert, AZ, Ken Simons and wife Delma of Artesia, Mark Simons, and wife Kathy of Burkburnett, TX, and Emily Moore McCaw and husband Bill of Artesia.

He is also survived by his twelve grandchildren, John Rowley, Robb Rowley, Jana Rowley, Ryan Rowley, Donald Simons, Christopher Simons, Summer Briscoe, Jessica Addington, Andrew Simons, Kendi Cox, Ashlee Matthews, and Madison Moore, twenty great-grandchildren, and two step-children Russell and Beverly Fleming.

Memorial Contributions may be made to the NM Baptist Children's Home, P.O. Box 629, Portales, NM 88130 or the Pregnancy Help Center, 610 W Quay, Artesia, NM 88210.

Visitation

Terpening Son Mortuary
611 W. Grand Ave.
Artesia, NM  88210
Thursday, May 31, 2018
10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Service

Funeral Services

First Baptist Church
322 W. Grand Avenue
Artesia, NM  88210
Friday, June 1, 2018
10:00 a.m.

Cemetery

Woodbine Cemetery
200 E. Hermosa Drive
Artesia, NM  88210

Memorial Contributions

New Mexico Baptist Children's Home
PO Box 629
Portales, NM  88130

Pregnancy Help Center
610 W. Quay Ave.
Artesia, NM  88210