Simmons is survived by his brothers Stanley Cary Simmons and Chris Ian Simmons, and sister-in-law Melissa VanGrundy-Simmons.Born in England, Simmons went to school and lived for a time in Great Britain and Germany before moving to Minneapolis with his family.
Matthew studied theatre, dance, and music and the University of Minnesota and in a theatre residency with the National Theatre of Dublin.
He joined Up With People and toured with the choir. "He could still wear his Up With People blue polyester flared-leg jumpsuit through all his days," said close friend John Harry 'Cayenne' Bonck.Before he became know to Bay Area drag and theatre fans as Peggy L'Eggs, in the 1980s, Simmons worked in the then-growing somatic healing movement.