Patricia Anne “Pat” Simmons

Patricia Anne “Pat” Simmons (formerly Miazga) died on January 29, 2026. Pat was born in Rhinelander just before midnight on December 31, 1952 to Laura (Bixby) Miazga and Henry Luke Miazga. She attended West Side Elementary School, Saint Mary’s School, and was a 1971 graduate of Rhinelander High School. In school Pat was a strong student who enjoyed many subjects, particularly music, art and choir. She was also active in drama, pep, ABC, art and photography clubs and other activities. She remained life-long friends with many of her 1971 classmates and attended the reunions frequently. Pat attended Nicolet College and later obtained an undergraduate degree in early childhood education with a minor in art from the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point in 1975. In the late 1970s she took a position with the chemical lab at the Rhinelander Paper Company where she attained the role of supervisor. She was one of the first female firefighters on the firefighting force and earned the Rhinelander Paper Company’s female firefighter of the year award in 1978.

After 3-plus years at the paper mill she moved to Bemidji, Minn. to attend graduate school in elementary education with a focus in special education. She would go on to earn a master’s degree in this field in 1985 from Moorhead State University in Moorhead, Minn. Her master’s dissertation was entitled “A Study on Family Stress and Social Class in Families with Handicapped Preschool Children.” She married her former husband Curtis Simmons in Beltrami County, Minn. in 1982. During her college years she joined the Philanthropic Educational Organization or P.E.O. Sisterhood, a women’s organization with a focus on providing educational opportunities for female students worldwide. She remained a supporter of P.E.O. until her death and counted many of its members as her friends. During her time in Minnesota and North Dakota she also ran a day care.

Pat later moved to the Kalamazoo, Mich. area where she became a mother to her son Andrew Taylor Simmons in November, 1987 and enjoyed an active family and parenting life. Pat spent the majority of her special education career as a special education teacher in the Vicksburg, Michigan school district. In 2001, Pat suffered an aneurysm from which she survived, demonstrated resilience, and retaught herself some of her sketch art skills. She was a member of a brain injury support group for many years and served it in leadership roles. She was featured in Ascension Borgess of Kalamazoo’s publication “Dramatic Recovery is Possible After a Stroke.” During her time in Michigan she was also an active member of Sweet Adeline’s International, a worldwide organization of women singers committed to advancing the musical art form of barbershop harmony.

Pat had a creative soul and was a gifted sketch artist with interests in travel, genealogy, cross-country skiing, folk music, photography, the Green Bay Packers, nature, music, art, family and friend trips to Shipshewana, Ind., rose gardening, baking, cooking and a deep faith. She was an inspirational figure to her younger siblings and also took time to help them out by volunteering as a den mother, babysitting them, housing them, and providing advice. She also enjoyed trips to Rhinelander and time with her mother who aided her day-to-day recovery after her aneurysm.

Pat was preceded in death by twin daughters Anna Leigh Simmons on July 3, 1986 and Catherine Louise Simmons on July 4, 1986. She was also preceded in death by sisters Vicki and Barbara, her mother and father, cousins, and numerous uncles and aunts. Pat is survived by her son Andrew Simmons (Katie Whidden) of Lakewood, Colo., sisters Donna Miazga (Gerald Urben) of Waunakee, Christine (Tony) Sisel of Rhinelander, brothers Mark Miazga (Linda Starr) of Falcon Heights, Minn., Pete (Marla) Miazga and Ed Miazga of Rhinelander, nephews Travis Miazga and Zachary (Becca) Sisel of Rhinelander, Henry Miazga of Falcon Heights, Minn., and nieces Sophie Urben of Waunakee, Chloe Urben of Philadelphia, Pa., Emily Sisel of Rhinelander, and Katy Miazga of Woodruff, as well as many, many friends. Memorials are preferred to the STAR Scholarship benefiting exceptional women in their final year of high school to attend college at https://www.peointernational.org/educational-support/star-scholarship/. Funeral service will be on Wednesday, Feb. 4 from 10 to 11 a.m. followed by an on-site mass from 11 a.m. to noon, both at Langland Memorial Chapel at 3926 S. 9th St., Kalamazoo, Mich. 49009.

“When I die, she said, I’m coming back as a tree with deep roots and I’ll wave my leaves at the children every morning on their way to school and whisper tree songs at night in their dreams. Trees with deep roots know about the things that children need.” -Marc Chagall-