Evelyn (Emerline) Simmons Rickett was born June 4, 1943 in Harris, Oklahoma, to parents Mirtis and Ross Simmons. She was the second youngest of sixteen children. She received her education in Harris, Oklahoma where she graduated from Riverside High School in 1962. At the age of eighteen, she moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico where she attended barber and beauty school. Once she graduated from school, she moved to San Diego, CA where she met and married Charles Rickett on July 6, 1966. This union was blessed with three beautiful girls: twins Vanessa Renee and Arnessa Rekay and a year and a half later, Buffie Marlene.
Evelyn joined Christian Fellowship Congregational Church in 1974,. In 2017, she received the Recognition Award for forty-years of dedicated service to the church.
Evelyn, known also as Ms. E or Lady E, was a barber and stylist for fifty-nine years, retiring in June 2020. She attended San Diego City College earning a certificate in clerical administration and was employed at California First Bank for several years, and later hired at San Diego State University in the Admissions and Records Office. After retiring from SDSU due to health reasons, she continued to cut hair at James Barber Shop on National Avenue.
Ms. Lady E’s favorite past-times included spending time with her beautiful daughters with whom she was always very close, watching sports, gardening, and reading the bible. She was also very active in the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Choir of San Diego for over twenty years.
At 2:49pm on November 13, 2020 Evelyn was called to Heaven. She was preceded in death by parents Ross and Mirtis Simmons; brother Deloyd Simmons; and sister Orri Simmons.
Left to treasure her memory are; daughters Vanessa Rickett, Arnessa Rickett-Jones, and Buffie Rickett; son-in-law Charlie Jones; brothers Curtis Simmons (Doris), Climmie Simmons (Vicki), Edward Simmons(Kathy), Phillip Simmons (Sharlonda), Prince Simmons, Ross Simmons, and Van Simmons (Theresa); sisters Carolyn Simmons, Daisy Hogg (Leroy), Loretha Davis (Dennis), Mary McCarty, Phyllis Simmons, and Rachel Simmons; aunts Georgia Gentry-Jones, Jessie Gentry-Rolf; cousins, Alan Gentry, Elijah Gentry, Stanley Gentry and Walter Gentry; seven godchildren; several nieces and nephews; and host of relatives and close friends.
