Stella Yvonne Smith-Simmons

Stella moved to Los Angeles as a young girl with her older sister, Gina, and their mother. At an early age, while attending Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, she was moved by the spirit to undergo baptism. Stella was a mischievous child while she attended the local schools, she also loved writing poems, drawing, and cheerleading. After graduating high school she met her husband and had three daughters, Nikisia, Nickolett, and Noelle.

Stella became a cherished member of the Los Angeles Unified School District family in the 1990s. For over 30 years, in the same community she grew up in, Stella forged deep bonds and friendships. She dedicated herself to shaping young minds and guiding them to realize their full potential. Nothing gave her greater joy than seeing the success of her former students as they navigated adulthood.

Combine all this with her color-coordinated fashion, love for Snoopy and the Peanuts gang, huge heart, and her tiny yet fierce companion, Bear, Stella was a force to be reckoned with. She was a sanctuary away from home, a go-getter, a problem-solver, a cheerleader propelling others forward, and simply a superhero.

Stella is preceded in death by her husband, Guy Simmons, and her faithful companion, Bearington, who unfortunately passed one month prior. She is survived by her mother, Mattie Smith; sister, Gina Rusk (James); three children, Nikisia Simmons (Erica), Nickolett Cortez (Dan), and Noelle Gutierrez (Agenor); and six grandchildren, Marquise, Isaiah, Raine, Elena, Elijah, and Avery, as well as a host of Family and Friends.