Funeral homes often submit obituaries as a service to the families they are assisting. However, we will be happy to accept obituaries from family members pending proper verification of the death.
Louise Ellen Simmons was born in The Dalles, Ore., on Sept. 22, 1928, to Garth and Ethel Walton. She always told us she wanted to be at home where she could see her mountain during her last days. She got her wish and passed away on July 2, 2020, at home with the mountain out her front window and her family by her side.
Ellen grew up outside of The Dalles, living in Ramsey Creek and Kent. This is where she attended school and was an only child during her time there. About the age of 11, she and her parents moved to the Corvallis area. There she was joined by a younger brother Thomas, in 1941. Ellen still returned to The Dalles area to stay with her Aunt Orma and Uncle Charles Nelson during the summers. I bet she would have never guessed that these summer trips would lead to an OPB production and article. In 2018, just two months before the famed Nelson House burned to the ground, she had the opportunity to revisit her childhood home. She met with Danielle Denham from OPB, with whom she was able to share her stories of living there. Ellen’s children and grandchildren never miss the opportunity to tag themselves and comment on Facebook pictures of the Nelson House and say that their mom/grandma lived in that house.
She then met Thomas Simmons, who she would be married to until he passed away in June 2006. They were married June 4, 1950, in Beavercreek, Ore. Together they settled in Cottage Grove and began their family. The first-born Joe was born in 1952. Sue followed in 1954 and Patty in 1957. In 1957, the family set out for a new adventure far north. They settled in Anchor Point, Alaska, the spring of that year. This is where they stayed to raise their family. The family grew with Bobby being born in 1961, Joy in 1964, Lee in 1966 and Ted in 1969. Ellen was able to stay home and raise her children and watch her grandchildren while Tom owned and ran a sawmill to support the family. This is where her grandchildren learned to love the taste of rhubarb. Grandma had the largest rhubarb plants they had ever seen! If she couldn’t see the grandkids, she knew they were in the rhubarb and strawberry plants!
In 1983, Ellen and Tom, along with youngest son Ted, moved back to Oregon. They found a place in Mt. Hood and in 1991 they bought a piece of property in Parkdale that they would make their final home. Both Tom and Ellen were able to live out their last days with family by their side at this home.
Ellen will be missed beyond measure by her children Joe (Janis), Sue, Patty, Joy (Clarence), Lee (Gabriella) and Ted; grandchildren Sheila (Jeff), Kurt (Jaimee), David (Luanna), Diane, Tabitha, Tara, Trinity (Cedar), Bridget (Jeff), Katy (Dillon), Josh and Thomas; and great-grandchildren Chelsea, Austin, Carlos, Ana, Henry, William, Justin, Jason, Lance, Sierra, Damian, Jesse, Eliana, Lily, Sterling, Tommy, Jeffrey, Ema, and Vincent. She was predeceased by her husband Tom; her son Bobby; and her brother Tom.
Arrangements are under the direction of Anderson's Tribute Center, 1401 Belmont Ave., Hood River, Ore. Visit www.AndersonsTributeCenter.com to leave a note of condolence for the family.
To plant a tree in memory of Ellen Simmons as a living tribute, please visit Tribute Store.
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Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.