June Cleo French

June Rose Simons French was born June 27, 1919, near Lamar, MO to Charles and Nellie Rose. She grew up and spent most of her life in Barton County, Missouri. She was Baptized into Christ in 1935 at First Christian Church in Lamar where she helped establish the nurseries, taught classes and worked with the youth most of her adult life.

She married Wilbur Simons on August 1, 1936. He died in 1970. During his lifetime they were very much involved in the Lamar Saddle Club where he served many years as president. They planned many trail rides, camping trips, and participated in many parades. The most notable being the American Royal Parade in Kansas City, MO. They won 1st place as best dressed and 2nd place for having the most participants traveling the longest distance.

Mrs. Simons worked many years at Lamar Super Market, at Hillcrest Bowling Lanes, and for 14 fourteen years at the Lamar Democrat Publishing Office before moving to Indiana where she married Earl French. Upon his retirement in 1974, they moved to Missouri. The summers were spent traveling and riding horses on trail rides throughout the country. The winters were spent in Brownsville, TX. They were selected as King and Queen of the Rio Grande Valley in 1986. Also, that same year, they started a Missions building program along the border in Mexico. The result, with the help of volunteers from all over the States, was 6 churches and 3 children’s homes. In 2005 they started making Brownsville their permanent home.

June was preceded in death by her parents; son Kenneth Simons and wife Phyllis of Ozark, MO; brothers Estelle, Everett, Eldon and Donald Rose all of the Lamar area; sisters Reba Waits, Eula Hagins, Jean Zinn all of Lamar, and Thelma Frogge of Kansas City, MO. She was also preceded by two grandchildren.

She is survived by her sister Marjorie Edgar of Ft. Worth, TX; sons Neil Simons and wife Kathy, and Ronald and wife Sandy both of Lamar, MO; stepson Larry French of Denver, CO; 18 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; and 3 great-great-grandchildren.

The family will receive visitors on Wednesday July 15, 2026 from 6:30 to 7:30 at Konantz Warden Funeral Home. A graveside service will be held on Thursday July 16, 2026 at 10:00 am at Memory Gardens.

If you would like to sign the register book when we are not here, there is a book located in the outdoor book house located on the north side of the north driveway.