The Obituary Section

Floyd Alexander Tonn

Columbus, Texas

February 12, 2026

Floyd Alexander Tonn, of New Ulm, passed away on February 13, 2026 at Kruse Village in Brenham, just short of his 91st birthday.Floyd was born on February 23, 1935, to Alex and Emma (Koerth) Tonn in Burton, Texas. He was baptized on April 28, 1935 and confirmed on October 2, 1949, both at Martin Luther Lutheran Church in Carmine, Texas.In 1960 Floyd met his sweetheart Brenda Jeanette Brune while working at Frelsburg Garage. When Brenda had a flat tire and visited the garage, Floyd asked around to find out who she was and then wrote her a letter to ask her out on a date. They were united in marriage on July 21, 1962 at St. John Lutheran Church in New Ulm, and were blessed with two daughters, Janet Blezinger & Ronda Saead.Floyd attended school in the Round Top / Carmine area until he was 16. At that time, he…

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Patty Prestwood Simmons

Columbus, Texas

Patty Prestwood Simmons passed away peacefully on February 12, 2026 in Weimar, Texas.She was born on January 5,1940 to Pat and Sally Prestwood, and grew up in Tyler, Texas, attending Tyler High School and Tyler Junior College, where she was a member of the Apache Bells. She graduated from the University of North Texas, was a member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority, and later earned her Master’s degree from Southern Methodist University. Teaching Language Arts for 30 years in various schools in Texas and Mississippi, she shared her love of reading and the philosophy of hard work with countless young students.In 1964, she married Tom Simmons, Jr. and shared life with him for 54 years until his death in 2018. The last 20 years of their lives in Smith County were spent on a ranch outside of Tyler, where they raised Beefmaster cattle. In 1999, she and Tom moved to…

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