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Bob E. Simmons Autobiography Born 10/02/1926 to Scriv & Eulice Simmons at the family home in Orange, TX. His father worked for Southern Kraft Paper Mill. At the age of 11 months the paper mill transferred his father to Bastrop, LA to work at the Kraft Paper Mill in 1927. Robert lived in Bastrop, LA, for 8 years. He started school in 1932 when he was 5 years old. During that 8 year period, his brother Donnell was born in 1929 and then a sister, Melba, was born in 1931. His most memorable time was when he spent most of his time at his Grandma Simmons house who he loved very much. He can remember her cooking him breakfast every morning and reading to him. To this day, he gives Grandma Simmons the credit for teaching him how to read. During this time, he set records in the 1st & 2nd grade for reading the most library books. Robert also had an Uncle Johnny, Uncle Victor and Aunt Ernie that lived in the same town. Now Aunt Ernie had a sister named Aunt Rose who lived in Vidor, Tx. She got sick with MS and then moved to his Aunt Ernie’s house in Bastrop and right before she died she called Robert to her bedside and that is where he received his first calling to preach. Aunt Rose placed her hands on his head and asked God to call him into the ministry. Robert was 7 years old. Aunt Rose went on to be with the Lord shortly thereafter. In 1935, his father was transferred to the Southern Kraft Paper Mill in Crossett, Arkansas. Robert was 8 years old and he spent the next 4 years there. He went to school in Crossett, where he played Football, Baseball & ran Track. He ran the 1 Mile event and Pole vaulted where he set a school record in Pole Vaulting at 13’6”. Here is where Robert got his 1st calling from God. One day he was playing in the back yard where there was a large oak tree, while he was playing he heard a voice call his name from the oak tree and told him that He is being called into the ministry and to preach the gospel. He said he felt a peace come over him. He was 12 years old. Robert has always considered himself an Arkansas Native. In 1939, Robert’s father moved the family back to Orange, Texas where his father went to work at Livingston Shipyard during the WWII. He was enrolled in Stark’s High School. At that time Robert was 13 years old and in the 9th grade but due to his surprise he had earned enough credits in Arkansas to be advanced to the 10th grade at Stark’s High school. Back then you only had to go to school for 11 years in Arkansas to graduate, but in Texas it was 12 years. At Stark’s High school he got elected to be the class president in the 10th & 11th grades. He took Distributive Education (DE) where he went to school half day and worked half a day. He had so many credits that he only had to take one course in the 12th grade. He finished it before school was over and went on to graduate. Let’s back up to age 15, Robert was out on the playground when he noticed the most beautiful girl he has ever seen kicking a football and said to himself “I have got to meet her! So he went over to introduce himself, his first line was “You sure can kick a football” she said: “Thank you”. He then went on to introduce hisself and asked her name and she said my name is Lois Smith and from that time on they starting see each other. But there were two problems, according to Lois. You see at that time, Robert was seeing two girls, and one happened to be Lois’s best friend. Lois told Robert, “if you want to date me, you will have to breakup with the two girls”. He said “no problem” and took care of that the same day. The following day, Robert and Lois started dating. The truth is, they both fell in Love with each other the first time they met on the playground. He found out much to his surprise that she was 2 weeks older than him. Wow! He thought this is nice dating an older woman! Robert & Lois were both in the 12th grade, Robert tried to join the Army to help fight in World War II but was turned down because of his age so he went ahead and joined the National Guard so he could do his part in the war. He also worked as a Movie Theater Manager and played in a music band called “Texas Skyliners” where he played at Nightclubs and Honky-tonks as the lead guitarist. In 1943, Robert got a job at Livingston Shipyard working with his father Scrivner as a pipefitter helper. Because the war was so high profile, Robert and Lois decided to get married in case he got drafted in to war, so on February 27, 1943 they were wed. At that point, Robert took his war bonds that he had and built a house. Robert continued to work at Livingston Shipyard and play music at night. He and Lois continued to establish a home and embark on life’s journey with each other. In December of 1953 Lois gladly broke the news to Robert that she was pregnant and nine months later on 8/1/1944 they had a little baby girl. They named her Patricia Gayle Simmons. Patricia was born with severe asthma and the doctors told them that there is nothing they can do for her and that she wouldn’t live past 14 years of age. They were heart stricken about the news, but continued on with their life. In October 1945, Lois gladly broke the good news to Robert again that she was pregnant with their second child. They were really excited. In the 7th month of Lois’s second pregnancy, Robert’s father had been going to a Pentecostal Tent Revival (Ralph Hart Bro’s Revival) here in Orange. One of the band members had to go home to Dallas, TX, because his wife was having a baby and it just so happened he was the guitar player. So Robert’s father asked Robert if he would come play his guitar at the tent revival because the guitar player had to leave. Robert told his father “no way”! (He didn’t care much for holy rollers). His father kept pushing until Robert decided to go. After a couple times going to the Tent Revival, Lois went with him, and on that night the preacher asked for people who wanted to be healed by God to come up to the front. After seeing people being healed, he went down to Lois and asked her to take Patricia up to the front to be prayed for. She told Robert that he would have to do it because she was pregnant with their second child and wouldn’t be able to stand on her feet that long. So Robert took Patricia into his arms and got in line. When he finally got to the preacher, the preacher placed his hands on Patricia's head and began praying. The healing power of the Holy Ghost went through Patricia into Robert. He said it felt like fire. He couldn’t get over how it felt. After they got home that night, Robert and Lois talked about how God healed Patricia and were amazed. They continued going to the Tent Revival until the Revival left Orange. Robert, Lois, Patricia and soon to be born baby joined a church, the Independent Full Gospel Pentecostal and started serving God. On 7/14/1946, their second child was born. It was a beautiful baby boy and they named him Jimmy Eugene Simmons and a very beautiful baby he was. But like Patricia he also had problems. At that time in the hospital, there were seven babies born, they all had a virus call “VIRUS X”. This virus was unknown and there was no cure. Six babies died that day except a baby boy named Jimmy Eugene Simmons. At this point, Robert and Lois knew where the healing power was coming from so they reached out wholeheartedly to God’s will. In September 1946, Robert and Lois turned their life over to God and were ordained in to Ministers of God. Roberts’s life was totally changed. All Robert wanted thereafter was to fulfill God’s calling on his life. The Seven Stepping Stones God used to bring Robert into His Ministry 1. Aunt Rose from Vidor TX laid hands on Robert and prayed that God would call him into the ministry. 2. An Oak Tree that God spoke to Robert from concerning his future in the ministry. 3. His father, Scriv Simmons, who moved Robert and his family back to Orange, TX. 4. A woman that God handpicked to be his help mate, Lois Loretta Smith. 5. His father, Scriv Simmons, to encourage him to play his guitar at a tent revival where Robert first felt the power of God. 6. A beautiful baby girl, Patricia Gayle Simmons, whose life was spared and healed by God. 7. A beautiful baby boy, Jimmy Eugene Simmons, whose life was spared and healed by God. I give you the life of Rev. Robert E. Simmons