Mrs. Shirley Evelyn Simmons Zile, age 73 of Sparta, passed away at 5:01am Wednesday, January 26, 2022 at Cookeville Regional Medical Center.

Shirley was born November 18, 1948 in Sparta, Tennessee to the late Virgie Mae & Herbert Eston Simmons,I. She was a homemaker and a member of Camp Heights Community Freewill Baptist Church. She was an avid reader and she loved shopping. Her proudest accomplishment was being "Granny" to her large family. In addition to her parents, she is also preceded in death by her husband William P. Zile, Jr. who died December 19, 2014.

Surviving family members left to cherish her memory include her four children, Billy (Melinda) Zile of Bone Cave, TN, Virginia (Randy) Lewis of Rickman, TN, Russell Zile, Herbert Zile and Kathy Whittaker all of Sparta

Grandchildren: Alex (Mary) Zile of Sparta, Olivia (John) Roberts of Spencer, Reed (Amber) Zile, Mirranda (Danny) Hawkins, Kylie Zile all of Sparta, Zach Matthews of Bone Cave, Carlie Roberts and Kaycie Roberts both of Spencer, Ryan Whittaker and Takota Whittaker both of Sparta

Great-grandchildren: Earnest "EJ" Zile, Jr., Jesslyn Zile and Daenerys "Lil D" Zile

Sisters: Nell Nash of Sparta, Kaye Highsmith of Texas, Rhonda (James) Barnes of Sparta

Brother: Malcolm Simmons of Sparta

Funeral services will be conducted 2:00pm Saturday, January 29, 2022 from the Chapel of Hunter Funeral Home with burial in Smith Chapel Cemetery. The family will receive friends Friday from 4-8:00pm at Hunter Funeral Home. Bro. Rick Dickson will officiate.

Alex Zile, Reed Zile, John Roberts, Danny Hawkins, Curtis Sullivan and Brandon Wilson will serve as pallbearers.