SIMONS, Linda Marie (Van Royen) - b. December 30, 1946 - d. June 28, 2026

[patyrn]

Linda Marie Simons was born to Enos D. Van Royen and Ollie D. (Smith) Van Royen on December 30, 1946 in Elk County, Kansas on a farm west of Moline, Kansas.  She passed from this life on June 28, 2026 in Toronto, Kansas.

Linda lived in Elk County and Greenwood County until she graduated as Salutatorian at Severy High School in 1964.  She married Joseph Frank Simons, Jr. on September 19, 1964 in Severy, Kansas.  They made their home in the Wichita, Kansas area and later in Kelso, Washington before eventually returning to Kansas.  They had two children, Joseph Frank, Jr. and Tina Marie.

Throughout her life, Linda was a very dedicated family member and worked many different types of jobs.  She worked as a deputy in Eureka, Kansas, an EMT in Eureka, Kansas, a waitress, a Pizza Hut manager, and a small business owner, but her favorite job was being a mother and housewife.  She was a remarkably resilient woman who survived losing a house in a fire, living through the Andover tornado, and nearly drowning when a footbridge collapsed.  Despite these and many other trying events, she was a positive thinker and always looked for the good in people and any given situation.  For the last several years, Linda worked on the board of the Severy Alumni Association.  Linda liked fishing, sports, traveling and people, especially her extended family.

Linda leaves many survivors including her son, Joseph F. (Bonnie) Simons, Jr. of Albuquerque, New Mexico; daughter, Tina Marie (Chuck) Graf of Salina, Kansas; grandchildren, Katelynn Simons, Joey Simons, Mark Hodges, and Shawn Hodges; her sister, Karen (Richard) Meyer of Haysville, Kansas; plus many nieces and nephews.  She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Joseph Simons, Sr.; her significant other, Harold Lazzers; an infant brother, John William Van Royen; and her siblings, Lily Cheever, Esther Meyer, Alma Boardman, and Glenice Chastain.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, July 2, 2026 at Koup Family Funeral Home in Eureka, Kansas with Pastor Kurt Henson of the Haysville Christian Church officiating.  Interment will follow at Greenwood Cemetery in Eureka, Kansas.  In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to the Severy Alumni Association.  Contributions may be sent in care of Koup Family Funeral Home, P.O. Box 595, Eureka, Kansas 67045 which is overseeing arrangements.  Condolences may be left for the family online at www.koupfunerals.com.

(taken from the Koup Family Funeral Home website)