Simone Lunday

It is with profound sadness that our family says goodbye to Simone Lunday who died after a two-and-a-half-year battle with cancer in Gulf Breeze, Florida. Simone, 89, our beloved Mother, was called to her eternal resting place on April 18, 2021. She was surrounded by loved ones and passed peacefully. She entered this world on April 15, 1932. Simone is survived by her sons Anthony Lunday (Terri) and Terence Lunday (Ginga), numerous grandchildren (Shawn, Josh, Marcia, Mikaela, Melany, Simone, Sophia, Anthony, Christopher, Julie, Ashton, Carla, Michael and Maddie) and several great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her loving husband Robert, sons Marcel (Trish) and Micheal (Dana) and granddaughter (Mariah' Lynn).

Simone was born Thi Ly Tran in a small village outside of Hanoi, Vietnam and lived an extraordinary life. She was fluent in Vietnamese, French and English. She survived a war that separated her from her family but that allowed her to meet the love of her life, Robert. She and Robert settled in Gulf Breeze, Florida in 1975 for their retirement years.

Simone acted in movies and was a model in her native Vietnam before moving to the United States. Upon the passing of her beloved husband Robert in 1977, she vowed to her sons she would never marry again, and she kept her word. To support her children, she then worked as a waitress, a bartender, a manicurist and later owned two small businesses.

She loved to dance, garden, play bingo, eat oysters and especially play poker! Boy did she love to play poker! But, more than anything, she loved spending time with her friends and family. She taught many of them to cook traditional Vietnamese entrees like Phở and spring rolls which were her grandchildren's favorites. Simone would say her biggest accomplishment in her life were her four sons. She loved them deeply and was extremely proud of them.

She will be lovingly remembered for her laughter, infectious smile, sense of humor, and devoted love for her family.

The funeral cortege will line up at 1:45pm, Tuesday, May 04,2021 at Olive Baptist Church – Warrington Campus, 103 W. Winthrop Avenue, Pensacola, FL 32507 and will depart at 2:00pm sharp.  The graveside service will commence at 2:30pm, at Barrancas National Cemetery (Shelter-B).