Mary Louise Skeeter Simmons, 81, of 1961 Hosier Rd., Suffolk, died Monday, May 12, 2003, in Nansemond Pointe Rehabilitation and Nursing Care Center. A native of

Suffolk, she was the daughter of the late Blackwell and Josie Boone Skeeter and the

widow of James Simmons.

She was a member of Mt. Ararat United Church of Christ where she was in the Senior Choir and was a member of the Missionary Lodge.

She was preceded in death by a sister, Flossie Artis and two brothers, Fredrick Skeeter and Wallace Skeeter. She is survived by a stepdaughter, Dorothy Rawles (Vernon) of Suffolk; four sisters, Irene Lundy

(Willie) of Suffolk, Elnora Tranumn of Chesapeake, Josephine Skeeter of Suffolk, and Janet O. Riddick of Brooklyn, N.Y.; a brother, Frank Skeeter (Alice) of Suffolk; two aunts, Rebecca Reid and Leno Owens, both of Suffolk; two special nieces, Ethel Boone of Chesapeake and JoAnne Demiel of Newsome; a special nephew, Walter Artis of Suffolk; two god children, Quinta Boone of Chesapeake and Tamika Demiel of Newsome; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

The funeral will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, May 16, 2003, in Mt. Ararat United Church of Christ by Dr. H. Harvey Murrill. Interment will be in the Nansemond-Suffolk Cemetery. The body will be taken to the church at 11:30 a.m. Friday. A wake service will be held from 7-8 p.m. in Crocker Funeral Home.