Dorothy Faye Sanders Simmons, 87, of Amarillo, Texas, entered the gates of heaven on Saturday, March 25, 2023.
The memorial services will be at 2:00 PM Saturday, April 8, 2023, at Boxwell Funeral Home, Ivy Chapel, Amarillo, Texas, with David Malone officiating. Arrangements are by Boxwell Funeral Home.
Dorothy was born September 27, 1935, in Loving, Texas, to Walter Garrett and Suvania Shepard Sanders. She married Buddy Campbell in 1953 and had two children, Judy and Mike; in 1962, she married Luther Brown and had two children, Lee and Chad; she married her soulmate, Bill Simmons, in 1988. They traveled the world by land, sea, and air. Many hours were spent seeing the sights around the world. There were many trips to locations in the United States, Europe, and Mexico. She made several trips on cruise boats with Judy, her daughter. She enjoyed her Alaskan cruises.
Dorothy attended grade school in Goodnight until the 6th grade. She completed her primary education at Claude. She was a member of the Claude women’s 1953 state basketball team. She taught 3rd grade and kindergarten for several years at Claude. She was an active member of the Methodist Church, playing the piano and organ, and she helped organize the Mother’s-Day-Out program in Claude. She attended West Texas State University in Canyon, Texas. Dorothy volunteered on the Claude ISD school board, serving as president. She enjoyed cooking and canning and was especially good at making Jelly with her son Mike. Dorothy enjoyed her time at The Continental, where she made many new friends, reacquainted with past friends, and reunited with her brother Nolan. She served as a Park Central Ambassador, and her beautiful face and smile adorned a billboard advertising Park Central.
She was preceded in death by her parents, two brothers, Billy “Doc” Minkley and Nolan Sanders, her husbands: Buddy Campbell, Luther Brown, and Bill Simmons, and her favorite dog, Ginger.
Dorothy liked to call her family “Gran’s Clan.” Gran’s Clan includes her daughter, Judy Duke of Amarillo; her sons, Mike Campbell of Claude, Lee Brown and wife Jennifer of Pilot Point, Texas, Chad Brown and wife Missy of Claude; her stepson Dr. Robert Simmons and wife Karin of Escalante, Utah; nine grandchildren, Justin White, Sandra White, Rebecca Lee and husband Phil, Micah Campbell and wife Tara, Deidre Frazier and husband Warren, Caitlin Hoon and husband Jake, Trey Brown and wife Katy, Tara Hall and husband Jake, Lindsey Pilcher, and husband Jared; 18 great-grandchildren, Clay Aborn, Spencer Aborn, Emmalyn Lee, Benjamin Lee, Berklynn Campbell, Tru Campbell, Adrian Zapata, Mia Zapata, Monika Zapata, Mikayla Frazier, Aaliyah Frazier, Easton Hoon, Eli Hoon, Noah Hoon, Rowe Brown, Milo Brown, Luke Hall, and Jentry Pilcher. Dorothy’s extended family included several others she called grandkids, Martha Slames and Ashlie Martinez, and great-grandkids Bentley, Liam, and Madison.
Dorothy’s family would like to thank Texas Oncology staff, Dr. Osteen, nurse Citasha, the team from The Continental, BSA Hospice of the Southwest, and her many friends for her care through her extended illness.
Instead of flowers and food, the family request memorials be sent to Samaritan’s Purse, https://www.samaritanspurse.org/, or a charity of your choice.
Linda and I enjoyed many good times with Dorothy when she was in Roswell. Bible study and game nights were always uplifting and happy times. We took her with to Ruidosa for our 31st anniversary celebration and had a memorable weekend. We were lost when she moved to Amarillo. But that gave us a friend there to visit and meet her family. She is definitely a special lady!!
I have many great childhood memories of time spent in Claude with my cousins and Aunt Dorothy always there to organize us, play the organ, feed us, and provide her love. In the past few years we reconnected when she moved back to Amarillo. I enjoyed the time we got to spend together laughing, reminiscing, eating, and drinking a margarita. I will miss her terribly. RIP Aunt Dorothy. Thanks for the memories.
We had so many fun times with Dorothy over the years!! Being a first cousin to Perry Shepard gave them many opportunities of good times together with family. She will be greatly missed !! Our love and heartfelt condolences and prayers go out to her family! Love,
Perry and Lynda.
My wife Janene and I loved Dorothy like our own mother. She was always so kind and generous to us. We got to know Dorothy from our Brotherhood with Mike. She has left a legacy of a Wonderful Family of God loving people. We are blessed to have known Dorothy.
I pray God will give your family Precious Memories that they can keep in their hearts so you will be constantly a blessing to them