Betty Simmons

Mrs. Betty Sue Cathey Simmons, age 82 of Dyer, passed away on Friday, December 26, 2014, at Maplewood Heath Care in Jackson. Graveside services for Mrs. Simmons will be held on Tuesday, December 30, 2014 at 10:00 a.m. at Oakwood Cemetery in Dyer with Vern Giesbrecht officiating. Visitation for Mrs. Simmons will be held on Monday, December 29, 2014, from 5-8 p.m. in the Chapel of Karnes and Son Funeral Home in Dyer. Betty Sue Simmons died on Friday, December 26, 2014, after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. While she spent her last couple of years in bed after a fall, she spent many previous years talking to, helping out and cheering up others in her home who were also afflicted with the disease. Anyone that knew Betty, or came in contact with her at Cathey’s Department Store in Dyer, Tennessee, will remember her kind demeanor and her infectious smile. That personality was with her all the way until the end. She was born on August 16, 1932 to Allen and Lena Cathey and grew up in Dyer before moving to Memphis to attend college at Memphis State University. After a few dates with Elvis she met and married D.L. Simmons and spent nearly 3 years stationed in Paris where D.L. was a meteorologist in the Air Force. Betty spoke the same few words of French for the rest of her life. A return to Dyer saw many years working at “the store” and attending the Dyer Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Then came the birth of her two boys, Brad and Scott. After taking the kids to see the original lineup of Kiss (wearing full makeup) in 1979, Betty continued to run the store until it closed in the late 90s. She was able to spend quality time with her first two grandchildren, Andrew and Matthew. Though she never really got to know her other three grandchildren, Sarah, Jack and Leo, she did have many opportunities to laugh at their antics and tell them that they were “so pretty.” In the end that’s what most people who knew Betty will remember: her laugh and her love. In lieu of flowers or gifts, the family asks that a donation of any size be made to the Alzheimer's Foundation of America (http://www.alzfdn.org/ContributetoAFA/makeadonation.html). Karnes and Son Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of Mrs. Betty Sue Cathey Simmons. Please click here to view the video tribute