Martha Ann Simmons, of Tullahoma, passed this life on Friday, March 8, 2024 at her home at the age of 69. Martha was born in Oak Ridge to Lorene Plemons Hensley who survives.

During her life she worked as an Aerospace Engineer at Arnold Engineering Development Center and was a member of First Baptist Church in Manchester. In her 42-year distinguished career at AEDC, Martha made significant and notable contributions to the AEDC Technology Branch. She improved instrumentation and diagnostic capabilities, modeling and simulation techniques, test facility productivity and foreign technology exploitation. Martha was a subject matter expert and principal investigator for chemical propulsion, exhaust plume phenomenology, and radiative transfer. Her highly satisfied customers included NASA, Missile Defense Agency, the Air Force Research Laboratory, Pratt-Whitney, General Electric, Honeywell and Williams International. Martha authored over 35 technical reports and papers and was a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics volunteer, as well as a mentor for AEDC co-ops and interns. For all of these accomplishments during her career, Martha was recognized as an AEDC Fellow, a program that recognizes individuals whose specific outstanding accomplishments and contributions to aerospace ground testing at AEDC disproportionately and positively affect customers, suppliers, stakeholders, and employees of AEDC; sister government organizations and industry partners. In addition to her mother, Martha is survived by her husband, Michael Simmons; one son, Marcus (Kimby) Simmons; one daughter, Megan (Adam) Bryan; one sister, Gail (Bob) Byers; one brother, Alvin (Angie) Hensley; and five grandchildren, Tucker, Levi, and Adeline Bryan, and Everett and Fischer Simmons.

Visitation will be held on Saturday, March 16 at Kilgore Funeral Home from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. with the funeral to immediately follow at 1 p.m. with her children and Sheila Richardson officiating. Burial will follow at Rose Hill Memorial Gardens.

Kilgore Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Tullahoma News – March 13, 2024