Helen Simmons, age 95, of White, formerly of Madison, died Tuesday, April 22, 2014, at the White Healthcare Center. Funeral services will be 10:30 A.M. Friday, April 25, 2014, at the United Methodist Church in White, with interment at 2:00 P.M. Friday at Graceland Cemetery in Madison. Visitations will be from 5-7 P.M. Thursday, at Eidsness Funeral Chapel in White. Helen (Westerlund) Simmons was born May 12, 1918, in Iowa Falls, Iowa, to Oscar and Elva (Davis) Westerlund. Her father was a minister and because of his position the family lived many places throughout the years: Iowa Falls and Sac City, Iowa, and Rapid City, Madison, and Trent, South Dakota. Helen graduated from Trent High School. She attended Sioux Falls College and graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in English and music. She moved to White for her first job teaching English and vocal music at the White High School. She met her future husband, Shirley Simmons, at White. On July 19, 1942, they were married at Madison. The couple made their home southeast of White where Shirley farmed the family farm. They were blessed with three children: Charles, Jane, and Diane. When their first child was one year old, Shirley volunteered for the Marine Corps during World War II. Helen was appointed to the position of Brookings County School Superintendent and was responsible for all rural schools, along with Elkton and Volga. The couple moved to Needles, California, when their youngest child was five. They returned to South Dakota and made their home in Madison, where Helen worked at Dakota State College as Registrar for many years. Helen and Shirley celebrated 68 years of marriage. Shirley died May 8, 2011. Survivors include her three children: Chuck (Rae) Simmons of Sioux Falls, Jane (Dennis) Kruit of White, and Diane (Jim) Olson of Brookings; six grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; and nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband and a brother, Donald Westerlund.