Nancy Parker-Simons

Nancy Parker-Simons was born and raised in Fort Worth, Texas. She is 68, a cowgirl and she loves animals. Her many hobbies include: painting, playing guitar, mandolin, banjo, horseback riding, building furniture, sewing, decorating, cooking and acting.

In 1985 she was given the nickname Cousin Nancy by Sammy Allred, at the time the number one radio talk show host, in Austin, Texas. And it stuck.

Cousin Nancy owned, operated, and sold embroidery businesses in Fort Worth and in Austin. In 1995, following the death of her husband in 1995, she sold her Austin embroidery business and she bought a small ranch and moved to Utopia, Texas, with her three dogs.

She began rescuing dogs, cats and donkeys. Life was good, but it got much better when Tony Simons came into her life. They lived together and the two of them made a living by making log furniture made from cedar, while continuing to rescue animals.

In 1998, she and Tony, her soon to be husband, started the Utopia Animal Rescue Ranch, a 501(c)(3) non-profit with their dear friend, Kinky Friedman. In 2002, they moved the famous rescue ranch to Kinky's family ranch, in Medina, Texas. For over 20 years Tony was the rescue ranch manager, Nancy was the executive director and Kinky was the self-proclaimed Grandi-like figure.

Her goal in life is to make people laugh and she has accomplished this through radio, books, art, blog, videos, acting and Public speaking. Cousin Nancy lives in a small cabin, on a small ranch, in Medina, with her husband Tony, five dogs and one feral cat.