PONDER

Avery Grace Ponder was born Jan. 6, 2006 and was granted her angel wings on Feb. 14, at Cook’s Children’s Hospital in Fort Worth. We will miss her greatly and our hearts are broken. We are so blessed that God chose us to be her parents. Ten years is not long enough, but Avery has touched so many hearts, shared so much love, and given us the absolute best days of our lives in her time with us.

She was preceded in death by her great-grandparents, Charles and Dolly Wallace and Cliff and Vela Hays; aunt, Barbara Chesson; uncle, Preston Holland; and cousin, Clary Chesson.

She is survived by her parents, Carey and Shana Simpler of Omaha; the best big brother in the world, Cayden Simpler, who always watched over and protected her; and a little brother, Corbyn Simpler, who she guarded and absolutely thought the world of. She was blessed with the best grandparents imaginable, Mike (the Poppy) and Pam (MiMi) Ponder of Linden and Dale (Pa) and Robin (Grandma) Reichert of Naples; granddad, C.R. Simpler; special aunts and uncles: Chris and Tricia Sims, Brian and Racheal Barton, and Brenda Holland (Nana); two very special uncles, that she thought hung the moon, Gary Hays and wife Gena and Jimmy Ponder and wife Janet; cousin, Lori Chesson, that she adored. She was blessed with two of the best teachers, Susan Comer Martin and Terrie Smith Autry, who touched her life more than they will ever know; Donald and Kathy Hawkins, who helped fulfill her dream to ride horses; as well as countless aunts, uncles, cousins and other relatives.

Services for Avery were held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 20, at First Baptist Church in Daingerfield with Bro. Dwain Higgins officiating. Burial followed at Veal Switch Cemetery under the direction of Reeder-Davis Funeral Home in Hughes Springs.