Iris Dale Simmons always enjoyed how the country celebrated her birthday each year. Born February 14, 1944 to TB and Rena Simmons, Iris was the second of six children. She graduated from Cement Public Schools and received her undergraduate degree from Oklahoma College of Liberal Arts, now USAO. She received her Masters in Health and Physical Education from OSU and her teaching certification from OU.

Iris began her professional career as Principal of Cement Elementary School for 13 years where she also coached basketball and volleyball. During her tenure, her volleyball teams won 5 state championships. After one year teaching in Colorado, Iris returned to Oklahoma and began her business, Iris & Young, Co., as a sports clinician giving private volleyball lessons, conducting volleyball camps from Colorado to Florida, and officiating baseball, softball, basketball, and volleyball. She was considered one of the premier authorities on the rules and techniques of volleyball.

Iris loved her family, volleyball, kids and her four-legged furry friends. She is preceded in death by her parents, her sister, Swana Del Cogburn, and her brother, Dustin Simmons. She is survived by her life partner of 25 years, Beverly Rodgers, her daughter, Dori Young and husband Jerald, 3 grandkids Meghan Pittman and Adam, Hayden Young and Alyssa, and Logan Young; 3 great grand kids; 2 sisters, Arda Cogburn and Houston, and Holly Ryans; and one brother, Vance Simmons; 17 nieces and nephews; and 37 great nieces and nephews; a volleyball family extending across the United States; and her furry friends Ten-Day, Dawnsun Boots, LG, Brindle, MIA, and GG.

Iris was surrounded by her family when she passed away on June 25, 2018 in Holdenville, Ok. The family requests that in lieu of flowers memorials be given to Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation – Pancreatic Cancer, 825 NE 13 ^th Street, Oklahoma City, OK  73104; Holdenville Animal Lovers Organization, P. O. Box 63, Holdenville, OK 74848; or Iris Dale Simmons Scholarship Foundation – Cement Public Schools, P.O. Box 65, Cement, OK 73017.