Karanaida Rose Simmons went to be with her Savior on August 11 in Warsaw, Virginia, at the age of 93. She lived all of her life in the greater Washington area, with over 60 of those years in Prince George’s County, MD.
Karanaida was born in Craig Healing Springs, Virginia, on September 17, 1926, to Rose Blaney (Collins) and William James Harris as the fifth of eight children. She was a devoted wife to Arthur W. Simmons and loving mother of four children; Rebecca Rose Eklund, Arthur Jr, Anna Marie Simmons, and Dee Frances Alban. She was preceded in death by her husband, all of her siblings and two of her four children. She leaves behind Anna and Dee and all of her five grandchildren, William, Erik, Becky, Georgia, and Karanaida as well as numerous great-grandchildren, nieces,and nephews.
Karanaida devoted her life, love and time to her family and friends as an amazing wife, sister, mother and grandmother. After raising her children to adulthood and losing her beloved husband Arthur, Karanaida could not stop caring for those in need, so she went to nursing school and became a registered nurse in her late 40s. She served at various hospitals and doctors’ offices in the metropolitan area always doing her best to serve her patients and show God’s love through her words and actions.
Karanaida also loved to fly so much that she got a pilot’s license and flew her children and grandchildren around whenever she could get time in her friend’s single-prop Cessna to places like Bud’s Ferry, and as far as Florida and the Carolinas. The family is blessed in knowing that our mother and “Mom-Mom” as she was known to all the grandkids is celebrating in Heaven in a wonderful reunion with Jesus and all of her family and friends that have gone on before her. You are loved and dearly missed already and we will always love and cherish the time we were graced to have you on this earth.
