Nancy Pyle Simons

Nancy Pyle Simons

(1932-2023)

Mother, Grandmother, Great-Grandmother, teacher, weaver, rector’s wife, daughter of a military family.

Nancy Pyle Simons (91), lately of Victor, Montana, died in her home on 11 October 2023. Nancy was born in Ames, Iowa in 1932 to Margaret and Charles Pyle. Since her father was in the military, Nancy traveled the world during her childhood, experiencing such things as learning to ride a bike in an airplane hanger, and living in many different cultures.  She attended the University of Maryland in Munich after finishing high school for Army dependents. After graduating with a degree in Elementary Education she married John Simons, another Army dependent student she met in Munich who proposed three times before she accepted. Nancy taught kindergarten in Ohio while John was in seminary, and after he was ordained they moved to Cleveland to serve in his first parish. There she started to live out her lifelong love of gardening in their large back yard.

Nancy and John raised their family in Cleveland and Willoughby, Ohio, where John was the rector at Grace Episcopal Church for 25 years. Following five years in Columbus, Ohio, they retired and spent a year in Pershore, England, serving at the Abbey. After their return they settled in Pittsboro, North Carolina, where Nancy enjoyed weaving, sewing, gardening, flower arranging, knitting, and spending time with her sister Jane. Nancy was active in various church altar guilds and choirs wherever her late husband was ministering, completing their pastoral team.

Nancy lived independently adjacent to her daughter Karen and son-in-law Warren in Victor, Montana for the past five years, continuing to enjoy gardening and Scrabble, and teaching and enjoying her grandchildren and grand-dogs.

Nancy’s parting advice: Be patient, kind and tolerant. People have a lot of different opinions— all opinions have value. Love one another.

Beloved wife of the late John Simons; dear mother of Richard Simons (Louise), Karen Simons Gartner (Warren), Robert Simons (Kristen Cliffel), and Andy Simons (Cindy); loving grandmother of nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Nancy was preceded in death by her husband John, her parents Charles and Margaret, and siblings Ruth Bricker and Jane Pyle.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorial gifts be made to Episcopal Relief and Development (www.episcopalrelief.org). Memorial Services in Ohio, North Carolina, and Montana are being planned for 2024.