Madyline Sue Lovelace Simmons, lovingly known as Sue, passed away peacefully on February 25, 2025, at the age of 81. She was surrounded by the love of her family as she took her final breath and met her Heavenly Father at 10:52 AM.
A visitation will be on Saturday March 1, 2025, from 10:00 am-12:00 pm at Pleasant Hill Church. A graveside service will follow in the church cemetery.
Sue was born on December 20, 1943, in Florence, Alabama, to B.P. Lovelace Jr. and Madyline Rhodes Lovelace. She grew up in Florence, where she spent her early childhood playing and picnicking under the big oak tree with her beloved cousins, Barbara Jean and Billie Faye. She attended Central High School, where she cheered and was an active member of various clubs. Shortly after graduation, she married her high school sweetheart, J.W. Simmons Jr., in the summer of 1962, beginning a beautiful journey of love and devotion that lasted a lifetime.
Sue dedicated her career to bookkeeping and office management, working at First National Bank, Huff Compton & Smith Accountants, and Dr. Crockett’s medical office. She was known for her meticulous attention to detail and strong work ethic. However, her greatest joy came later in life when she retired to care for her grandchildren, embracing the cherished role of “Nussie.” Her creative passion for sewing began early designing and sewing Barbie clothes for her youngest sister that continued with heirloom sewing matching dresses for her granddaughter, Abby and her baby dolls.
Sue’s love for art and painting was a reflection of her creative spirit and appreciation for beauty. She found solace in the brushstrokes of her work, capturing both the world around her and the love she carried in her heart. Whether painting serene landscapes, delicate florals, or cherished family moments, her artwork became a lasting testament to her talent and the warmth she shared with those she loved.
Sue was selfless in every aspect of her life, always putting her family first. She encouraged her children to follow their dreams, even when those dreams took them hundreds of miles away. She epitomized what it meant to be a godly woman—full of grace, elegance, compassion, and unwavering encouragement.
Sue is preceded in death by her parents, B.P. and Madyline Lovelace, her sister-in-law, Jean Rutledge, and her brother-in-law, Bill Johnson.
She is survived by her loving husband, J.W. Simmons Jr.; her son, Trey Simmons and his wife, Susan of Florence, AL; her daughter, Suzanne Simmons Duncan and her husband, Stuart, of Athens, AL; her sisters, Jan Fulmer, and her husband, Jerry, of Florence, AL, and Eleanor Johnson of Smyrna, GA. She leaves behind her adored grandchildren: Wil Simmons, Florence, AL, Taylor Duncan and his wife, Kelley, Vestavia Hills, AL, and Abby Dagnel, and husband, Hunter, Pike Road, AL. Her legacy continues through her great-grandchildren: Bennett Duncan, Everett Duncan, Wyatt Dagnel, and Graceyn Dagnel.
Honoring Sue as pallbearers are Matt Fulmer, Richard Johnson, Jerry Fulmer, Stuart Duncan, Taylor Duncan, Wil Simmons, Vann Rutledge, and Hunter Dagnel.
Sue’s kindness, warmth, and unwavering love for her family will be dearly missed but forever cherished in the hearts of those who knew and loved her.
