Thomas Mark Simmons, Jr. (Age 84) of the Four Mile Community near Belzoni, MS, passed away and went home to be with his Lord and Savior on April 28, 2018. He was a member of Beulah Baptist Church in Inverness, MS.

Mr. Simmons was born to Nell Ingold Simmons and Thomas Mark Simmons on November 25, 1933, in Swiftown, MS. He was an only child and lived his entire life in Humphreys County (Sky Lake Bend/Four Mile community). Mark graduated from Belzoni High School in 1951. He later went to Mississippi State University, where he was a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity and graduated with a degree in agriculture. He was an ROTC cadet at Mississippi State, earned his pilot's license, and trained at Lackland Air force Base in San Antonio, TX. Mark was a diehard Mississippi State Bulldog fan and followed almost every sport they played.

Mr. Simmons was a life-long farmer, who farmed cotton, soybeans, and raised cattle for 35 years. In 1964, Mark was named the Outstanding Young Farmer of Mississippi. He went to the national competition in Fort Collins, CO, that same year and was selected one of the top ten finalists in the nation.

Mr. Simmons was on the Yazoo-Mississippi Levee Board for 42 years, serving as president for 24 years. He was on the National Waterways Commission and served as Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Lower Mississippi Valley Flood Control Association (7 states) for 13 years, testifying before United States (U.S.) House and Senate sub-committees in Washington, D.C. He was awarded the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers Outstanding Civilian Award in 1984 for his work with flood control through the Levee Board. He attended the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, PA, in June of 1996.

Mr. Simmons was on the Humphreys County Farm Bureau Board of Directors for 63 years, serving as President of the Humphreys County Farm Bureau between 1961 and 1962. He was designated an Honorary Board Member in 2016 and recognized as one of the longest serving Farm Bureau Board of Directors Members in the history of Mississippi.

Mark was also an organizer, leader, and emcee of many events in Humphreys County, including the Humphreys County Fair. He was a member of the Lions Club for 20 years and was selected as the Outstanding 4-H Alumnus in Mississippi in 1968. He spent countless hours with his daughters riding horses, competing in horse shows and rodeos, and teaching them about nature and wildlife. One of his legacies is the "Big Tree", the state champion Bald Cypress tree. The surrounding land was acquired by Mississippi Wildlife and the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks and is now home of the Sky Lake Boardwalk, which has some of the largest and oldest bald cypress trees on earth.

After retirement, Mr. Simmons spent his time gardening and growing pumpkins, sunflowers, and gourds. The Simmons Pumpkin Farm welcomed visitors to their farm over a period of 18 years. Mark (also fondly known as "The Pumpkin Man") took children on hayrides to the pumpkin patch and shared stories of farm life. Mark also enjoyed spending time in his vegetable garden, specializing in growing tomatoes and watermelon. He achieved the "Master Gardener" designation and enjoyed sharing his knowledge with others.

Mr. Simmons was preceded in death by his parents, Nell Ingold Simmons and Thomas Mark Simmons. Survivors include his devoted wife of 38 years, Peggy; his three daughters Ann Simmons Tanner [Steve] of Leawood, KS, Susan Simmons Santucci [Anthony] of Greenville, MS, and Sharon Simmons Sandahl [Todd] of Nashville, TN; his step-son John H. Emrich III [Naomi] of Ebeneezer, MS, and step-daughter Jane Emrich Lee [David] of Fairhope, AL; ten grandchildren; and ten great-grandchildren.

Visitation for Mr. Simmons will be held Tuesday, May 1, 2018 from 5:30 pm until 7:30 pm at First Baptist Church in Belzoni. A second visitation will be held Wednesday, May 2, 2018 from 10:00 am until the 11:00 am Celebration of Life service at the First Baptist Church in Belzoni, MS with a private burial following the service at Belzoni Cemetery. Burton Funeral Home of Indianola has been entrusted with arrangements. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Mr. Simmons name can be given to Beulah Baptist Church, PO Box 136, Inverness, MS 38753 or Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children, Office of Development, 2500 N. State Street, Jackson, MS 39216.

Online condolences may be shared with the family by visiting www.burtonfuneralhome.net