Edith C. Simons

With her loving family around her, Edith C. Simons, age 94 of Kenosha died on Saturday, January 24, 2015 at Harmony Living Center.

Born in Racine, WI on October 21, 1920, she was the daughter of the late Henry F. and Nanna (Ebbesen) Christensen.

Edith was a graduate of Kenosha High School and a short-term training course in physical therapy in Milwaukee. As a lifelong learner, she began college at age 55. She attended Gallaudet University for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in Washington, DC and the University of Wisconsin-Parkside.

On June 6, 1944, at the Lutheran Church of the Deaf in Milwaukee, she married the love of her life, Robert M. Simons. A day after their 65^th anniversary on June 7, 2009, Robert preceded her in death.

Known as a doer and for her persistence, Edith served on numerous local, state, and national committees, boards, and councils including the Governor’s Committee for People with Disabilities and the Telecommunication Relay System Council. Through her work on these many committees along with the support of several state legislators and area professional clubs many changes were implemented such as; establishing the State Bureau for the Deaf and Hearing Impaired, the Kenosha Telephone Relay System, TDDs placed in hospitals, libraries, and fire stations, and the installation of a 911 TDD emergency line. Edith was an early advocate for the passage of the American with Disabilities Act.

In 1977, she was a delegate to the White House Conference for Handicapped People and in 1989 a U.S. representative to the Helen Keller World Conference on Deaf Blindness held in Stockholm, Sweden. She received many awards for her achievements including the Personal Achievement Award from the National Easter Seal Society of Wisconsin, the Golden Hands Award from the National and Wisconsin Associations of the Deaf, and the Kenosha News Woman of the Year in 1978. She was an honorary lifetime member of the Racine-Kenosha Deaf Club.

Edith was an extraordinary wife, mother, grandmother, friend, and advocate for the deaf and the deaf-blind. She was a prolific reader, a talented writer of prose and poetry, a master at political debate, a follower of the news, a great story teller, and proud of her Danish heritage. She loved to play the piano, dance, cook, bake, and spend time with her family and friends. She was a woman of deep and abiding faith. Edith was happy that she had the chance to use her talents to make important changes in the disability movement and was proud of her advocacy work.

Edith will remain in the hearts of her loving daughters, Nana (Robert) LoCicero of Kenosha, Susan (Art) Buechter of Tinley Park, IL, and Pamela (Michael) Barnes of Zion, IL; her grandchildren, Nicole (Greg) LoCicero, LeeAnn (Gordon) Briese, Robert V. LoCicero, Crystal Simons, and Brandon (Danielle) Barnes, and her great grandchildren, Hailey, Makayla, Grace and Aleena.

In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by a son, Galen M. Simons; and her brother and sister-in-law, Verne and Concetta Christensen.

The family wishes to express their appreciation and gratitude to Sandra Mikolas NP, Carol, and the staff of Harmony Assisted Living Center and Hospice Alliance for going above and beyond expectations in their loving care and many comforting measures.