Dad was born in Charleston, Utah, near Heber City, on October 18, 1889, to Lucy Ardella McPeak and Pierce Franklin Simmons. He was 7 years old when his father died and his mother had no way to take care of all the 10 children so some of the older children were farmed out (As they called it then – now we would say foster homes.) Dad was raised by the Joseph Wright family and then the Daybell family in Charleston for a few years. At age 11 in 1900 Dad was living again with his mother Della , who had married John Jordan, and the full family in the Jordan Household. He spent many years in his teens living with and working for the Daybells and others while he finished his schooling.

Mother and Dad were married on July 13, 1914.
Dad was a happy person. He loved to sing and dance. We used to gather around the kitchen coal stove with the oven door open in the winter time in Park City, and Dad would sing songs to us and sometimes the neighbor kids would be there.
Dad was a kind man. During the depression years in Park City some people couldn't afford to pay for their milk. So Dad would leave it anyway because he couldn't stand to see little kids go without milk, as you know he was a milkman. We had no cows, he bought the milk from a farm in Snyderville. He always made sure we had food to eat even though it was only potatoes, bread, milk, meat and vegetables.

How I remember My Dad
(Elaine Simmons Pedersen)

In 1910 Willis lived at home with his mother Della and step father John Jordan with all his siblings and step siblings. He worked as a Shepherd at times.


Willis pedaled milk products in Park City. He worked for Andy Peterson in 1917-18. He operated his own businesses under the names White Rose Dairy and Sego Lily Dairy. He sold his White Rose Dairy business to Roy Loertscher on April, 18, 1935

Willis was a tall slender man with blue eyes and brown hair.

His large family of 11 children lived at various times in both Heber City and Park City (Deer Valley) Utah.

Willis Simmons contracted Right Lobar Pneumonia in mid-April 1936 and he passed from this life on May 7, 1936, as many others did at that time, without the benefits of modern Science and Medications.

Living Children:
Pierce Simmons (1931-)
Shirlene Simmons Allen (1935-)