Rachel W. Simmons

Rachel Maryellen Williams Simmons, 107, born November 11, 1914 in Walker County, GA died peacefully the morning of January 12, 2022. She graduated from Chattanooga High School and McKenzie Business College. She was employed at Crane Enamel Company and as executive secretary to Joe Engle at WDEF Radio and Engle Stadium, and as vice-president under her sister, Ruby Williams at The Slim-Ez Company and R. B. Williams Co., Inc. Crowned Miss Lookout, she loved fashion, modeling and beauty pageants. For years she coached and assisted many young ladies in Miss Chattanooga, Miss Tennessee, Miss America and Miss USA pageants. She chaperoned three contestants at the national level, accompanying two second runner ups and one first runner up. She was active, fun-loving and helpful with family and friends and will be lovingly remembered by many. She is survived by her son William(Sara) Simmons, her grand daughters, Amy(Brian) Hughes, Lisa(Michael) Keaton, and Laura(Jeff) Glass; and her great grandchildren Timothy Simmons, Andrew Glass and Ruby Hughes, and her sisters Barbara (Fred) Hall, Betty Huckabee, Joyce(Jerry) Turner and Alice(Jim) Gunner, and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Charles and Annie (Pettyjohn) Williams, her husband Noble Johnson Simmons, Jr., her son, Noble Johnson Simmons, III, her grandson, William Quinn Simmons, four sisters, Ruby Betty Williams and Muriel Ward, Doris Floyd and Mary Williams and nine brothers: Ray, Roy, Ralph, Ryan, Russell, Richard and Charles Williams. She was a member of Missionary Ridge Garden Club, Central Presbyterian Church and, later, Second Presbyterian Church. Special thanks to the dedicated staff at Hearth Hospice. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Second Presbyterian Church, 700 Pine Street, Chattanooga, TN 37402. A graveside service will be held on Tuesday, January 18 at 1:00 PM at the Chattanooga National Cemetery with Rev. Cathy Meyer officiating.

The family will receive friends from 11 AM until 12:30 PM Tuesday at the East Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home, 404 South Moore Road, East Ridge, TN. The family requests masks be worn during visitation. Please share your thoughts and memories at www.ChattanoogaEastChapel.com.