Grace Marie Simmering went to be with her Lord and Savior on June 4, 2023.  She was born on Aug. 4, 1926, at the family farm northwest of Kanorado, Kansas to Andrew and Martha (Juhl) Pettijohn.  The fourth child of eight.

She attended a country school until moving to Goodland for high school where she worked to earn room and board.  There she met John Simmering and was married in 1945 while he was on leave from the Navy. To this union, 3 children were born, David, Linda (who was born on her birthday), and Daniel.

Grace enjoyed being a homemaker and took pride in keeping a neat and tidy house.  She enjoyed baking and sharing it with friends and neighbors.  She mowed her own grass and had a garden will into her 80's.  She loved flowers and would tell us to give her flowers when she was alive so she could enjoy them and not when she died.

Grace and John enjoyed playing cards and belonged to a card club for many years.  They also had a camper and went on many trips with the Good Sams Camping Club. Grace never drove a car and walked to town frequently, carrying groceries a mile home.

Grace was a member of the First Baptist Church, Goodland and was the church treasurer and later moved her membership to the First Baptist Church in Ness City.  She loved the Lord, rarely missed a service until the last 3 years.  When her son, David died, she left her home and moved to Ness City to be close to her daughter.  She continued to play cards, sew potholders, and table runners or scarves for friends and family, doing all the work by hand.  He has said for many years that she was ready for God to take her home: Now He has.

Those preceding her in death are her parents, Martha and Andrew Pettijohn; husband, John Simmering, Son, David Simmering, three brothers, Alvin, Wilbur, and Robert, three sisters, Dorothy Cowan, Joan Sipes, and Betty Buxton.

She leaves behind: daughter, Linda Foos (Gary), son, Daniel Simmering (Angie), nine grandchildren: Laura (Curt), Debra (Levi), Dana, Jana, Scott, Bryan (Jen), Jason (Ashley), Jared, and Jonathon (Ashlee), 11 great-grandchildren: Haley, Dean, Brogan, Alysson (Dakotah), Ashley, Amy, Sarah (Dakota), Ayden, Jaxson, Briar and Sage; one great-great grandson, Jason; one brother, Conrad Pettijohn (Carol), sister-in-law, Joy Pettijohn, along with many nieces, nephews, and friends.

Funeral service will be held at the First Baptist Church, Ness City on Friday, June 9, 2023, 10:30 a.m.  Burial in the Goodland Cemetery on Friday at 3:00 p.m. Central Time.  Viewing will be held at Fitzgerald Funeral Home on Thursday from 9:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m.

Memorial contributions may be given to the First Baptist Church, the VA Hospice of Wichita, or the Hospice of the Prairie.