Christopher Simmons

NEW IBERIA, La. – A funeral service will be held at noon on Tuesday, January 4, 2022, at Our Savior’s Church New Iberia Campus for Christopher Ryan Simmons, 17, who passed away on December 17, 2021. Pastor Paul Neel and Pastor Jacob Aranza will officiate the service.

A gathering of family and friends will be held at Our Savior’s Church New Iberia Campus, located at 4201 E. Admiral Doyle Drive in New Iberia, Louisiana, from 9:00 a.m. until the service at noon. Interment will follow at Beau Pre Cemetery in Jeanerette.

Christopher was born on October 18, 2004. He was affectionately called “Brother” by his family and “Chris” by his friends. He attended Acadiana Christian School (previously Assembly Christian School) from kindergarten onward. In his younger years, he played basketball and baseball before taking a hiatus to focus on his studies. As a junior, he returned to sports and stood out as an excellent player on the baseball and basketball teams at ACS.

As an old soul, Chris was abnormally sensible, thoughtful, and helpful. He had a keen awareness of and deep gratitude for his parents’ hard work and sacrifice to provide for him and his siblings that he never took for granted. He was known to walk around the house and turn off lights or help with household chores before being asked. He had a strong work ethic and worked after-school and summer jobs to earn his own money. He was very affectionate with those he cared for and was known as his mother’s “angel child,” since he never caused any trouble and had special concern for his mother. Chris was so mature that his older brother Kyle often said that although Chris was younger, he looked up to him.

Chris was selfless, pure-hearted, caring, handsome, and reserved. As of late, his girlfriend, Marissa, was helping him come out of his shell little by little. Although Chris was a man of few words, when he did speak, he often had something funny or witty to say.

Chris was also highly intelligent, goal-oriented, and driven. He took academics seriously and was on track to be one of his class valedictorians upon graduation. He took the ACT multiple times, striving each time to score higher than he had before in hopes of someday scoring a 32.

Chris enjoyed spending time with his friends, family, and girlfriend. He and his friends went out to eat or to watch UFC fights. He and Marissa were known to be “attached at the hip” and, outside of spending time together at school, they often worked out, went to each other’s house, and ate ice cream. On his own, Chris enjoyed coding, making video games, playing video games, and researching and investing in the stock market.

An unusually wise and motivated teenager, Chris dreamed of a financially secure and successful future. He planned to follow in his big brother Ren’s footsteps by going to college and becoming a software engineer. He also dreamed of marrying and outdoing his parents by having 10 kids.

Christopher is survived by his parents, Dawn Hebert Simmons and Ray G. Simmons; six older siblings, Ren Simmons (Ciera), Katie Simmons DeRouen (Errik), Shea Simmons, Rhett Simmons, Carly Simmons (Lestat), and Kyle Simmons; aunt, Cathy Simmons; niece, Amielle DeRouen; and nephews, Holden Simmons, Carter Simmons, Grant DeRouen, and Bregman DeRouen. Christopher is also survived by his girlfriend, Marissa Darby, and friends Kade Gil, Dax Mogerman, Billy Mora, Duy Tran, and Tristan Menard.

Christopher was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Joy Bergeron Wiltz and Ray C. Simmons, and uncle, Curt Simmons.

Pallbearers will be Ren Simmons, Dax Mogerman, Kade Gil, Cameron Wolfe, Drew Rogers, and Reece Vice.

Honorary pallbearers will be Ray Simmons, Rhett Simmons, Lestat Beatty, Billy Mora, Ross Navarro, Duy Tran, and Tristan Menard.

The Simmons family would like to extend gratitude to Our Savior’s Church for their help and generosity, as well as to pastors Paul Neel and Don Norman of Our Savior’s Church, Pastor Armand Prentiss of Church on the Rock, Pastor Jacob LeBlanc of the Community Church, and Pastors Drew and Wanda Rousse of Faith Cathedral, who have all provided support and comfort to the family. The family would also like to thank the staff at Acadiana Christian School, especially the principal, Monique Sanchez, who has helped the family navigate through this grief; Jonathan Chandler, Tyler Farris, Kyle Fruge, and all other EMTs with Acadiana Ambulance who responded to the accident; the staff at Nicholls State University; and the team at Memorable Obituaries for writing a meaningful obituary that honors Christopher and will always bring back fond memories.

Donations to the Simmons family can be sent to P.O. Box 1, Jeanerette, LA 70544.

Pellerin Funeral Home, 502 Jefferson Terrace, New Iberia, LA 70560, 337-365-3331, is in charge of the arrangements.