Phyllis J. Jenrett-Simmons, of Railroad Street, passed away Thursday, September 4, 2014 at her home. She was 74.

Born in East Liverpool, April 15, 1940, she was a daughter of the late John “John Dee” and Lucy Welch Jackson.

She learned to work hard at a young age when she would drive truck for her father delivering coal. She would later work at Homer Laughlin China Company and then at the former Hills Department Store as a cashier and was a family beautician a former domestic engineer. Baptized at the age of 15 at the Second Baptist Church, she was an active charter member of the New Hope Missionary Baptist Church. She was involved in nearly every aspect of the church. She served on the Senior Usher Board, Church Clerk, Finance Secretary, Unity Chorus, Director of the Youth Choir, and Director of Vacation Bible School. She was also president of the Tri-State Community Choir, sang with the Hayes Singers and the Moxley’s and finance secretary of the Ohio Valley Missionary Union.

Phyllis loved to try new things but loved to sing, crochet, decorate, and sew.

She is survived by her husband, Eugene “Gene” Simmons, Jr. The couple married November 26, 1992.

She also leaves behind two daughters and a son, Alice Jenrett of East Liverpool, Luci Alston, and her husband Roderick, of Pittsburgh, and Ernest “June Bug” Jenrett, Jr. of East Liverpool, along with four step-daughters, Sharon Walker, and her husband John, of Las Vegas, Regina Simmons of Pontiac, Michigan, Charlene Simmons of Aliquippa, and Angela White, I, of Phoenix. She also will be sadly missed by her two grandchildren, Nina and Larry Jenret.

Other survivors include a sister, Eva Jackson of Youngstown, Ohio, three brothers, Larry Jackson, and his wife Peggy, of Lorain, Ohio, James Jackson of Alabama, and David Jackson of East Liverpool, a brother-in-law Tommie Simmons, and his wife Lucille, of Covington, Georgia, and six sisters-in-law, Lena Moore of Great Mills, Maryland, Mary Carr, and her husband John, Helen Simmons, and Evie Cary, all of Aliquippa, JoEllen Jackson of East Liverpool and Margaret "Sue" Jackson of Niagra Falls, New York, as well as many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews and cousins.

She also helped raise John W. Jackson, III, Stacy Rice, Robin Jackson and Malik Hardin, her great-nephew.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a daughter Dorita Jenrett, a step-son Eugene Simmons, III, five brothers, John W. Jackson, Jr., Charles A. Jackson, Sr., Robert C. Jackson, Sr., George W. Welch, Sr., and infant Jeffrey Jackson, an aunt Nina Farrell, and her grandmother Eva Hogan Jester.

Friends may visit Wednesday afternoon and evening at the Dawson Funeral Home where the family will be present from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Rev. Rolland L. Owens, Sr. of the church will conduct a funeral service at 11:00 a.m. Thursday at the funeral home.

Burial will be at Shadow Lawn Memory Gardens.

Following the service, family and friends will gather at the New Hope Missionary Baptist Church.

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