Obituary for
Mabel Simmons (Sween)
Mabel (Suzie) Simmons (nee Sween) Jan 18, 1923 – April 21, 2020
With her usual sense of impeccable timing, our mother Mabel Simmons died in the middle of a
raging snow storm, at Extendicare in Timmins, Ontario on the morning of April 21, 2020 at the
age of 97.
Born on the island of Stuord, Norway in the winter of 1923 she moved to Timmins as a toddler
and lived here most of her life, aside from the months she spent building Mosquito bombers
during WWII. She was the daughter of a hard-rock miner and union man, Jorge Andersen-
Sween and Thora Sween (predeceased).
She was also predeceased by her husband and love of her life Thomas Kenneth (Big Ken)
Simmons, her oldest son Michael Simmons, and her only daughter Christine Biggar (Creston).
Left to mourn her two surviving children Rick Simmons (Judy), and Glenn Simmons, as well as
her grandchildren Jason Simmons, Melanie Simmons, Brooke Simmons, Jamie Biggar, Ken
Biggar, Keith Biggar, Darien Gerrard-Simmons, Cheyenne Gerrard-Simmons, great-granddaughters
Sierra Van-Tent, Jenna Biggar, and great-grandson Max Biggar.
She leaves behind numerous nieces and nephews who she was close to over the long years of her
life, Chris Ellefsen, Eric and Brian Sween, Michelle Landriault, and Kim Sween to name a few
of them.
She was also predeceased by her three brothers Einar, Jack, and Arvid, sister Esther, and sister-in-
law and close friend Anita. Sadly, mother outlived all of her childhood friends, Dora Leduc
and Margaret LeBlanc being the ones she spoke most fondly of.
The family would like to express our sincere gratitude to all the staff on the Mattagami wing at
Extendicare who looked after her for the last three years of her life. Their jobs are difficult, and
they do them very well, and with a great deal of compassion for the fragile people under their
care. Many thanks.
As per her instructions, there will be no funeral, and no memorial of any kind… grieve her loss
in private as she would have wanted.
“On the day she died, the heavens wept and raged,
As hammer struck lightning across the sky,
And the thunder rolled, calling,
Go wyytch to Valhalla,
And embrace your fallen heroes!”
Goodbye mother, your fight is over, rest in peace…
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Mabel
Simmons Sween 1923 2020..
Death notice for the town of: TIMMINS, Province: Ontario