Mary Dover Simon

Mary Dover Simon, age 93, of Louisville, Ohio, the youngest of eight children, was born on January 17, 1933, and passed away peacefully surrounded by loved ones on January 31, 2026.

Mary graduated from McKinley High School in 1951 and remained close with her classmates throughout her life, regularly gathering with dear friends from those school days. She lived through the hardships of the Great Depression and World War II and learned early the value of hard work, earning money as a young girl to purchase her own clothing and necessities, then went to work at the Hoover company for 2 years.

Mary met the love of her life, John Simon, at a funeral-a story she always enjoyed sharing. He later proposed to her in a graveyard, and the two were soon married, going on to share over 72 years devoted together.

Mary leaves behind her beloved husband, John Simon; her older sister, Louise White; and her sister-in-law, Kathy Shepherd; her three children, John (Mary) Simon Jr., Daniel (JoAnn) Simon, and Laura (Donald) Keefe; ten grandchildren and their partners; and sixteen great-grandchildren. She will also be deeply missed by countless relatives, neighbors, and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Herbert and Ella (Johanning) Dover; her brothers, Raymond, Ralph & Herbert Dover; her sisters; Helen Stanley, Dorothy Davis, and Rita Marciniak.

Throughout her 93 years, Mary loved and lost many, but she also created countless memories, funny stories, and meaningful conversations. She had a remarkable gift for making and keeping friends and staying connected with family near and far. Mary enjoyed board games, bowling, where she was often ranked as one of the top 10 bowlers in Stark County, reading, and playing the accordion, and she could figure out how to fix just about anything.

Later in life, Mary became a volunteer paramedic with the Fairhope Fire Squad for 15 years, helping run the family business, the Loop Café. After living in Canton, Mary and John built their dream home in Louisville, completing much of the work themselves.

Mary showed her love by keeping everyone incredibly well fed-according to John, no one cooked as well as Mary. She was the beloved "snack grandma" to all who visited and a thoughtful, attentive listener. Family was Mary's greatest joy and proudest accomplishment. She created a home filled with love, laughter, good food, and open doors. No one ever left Mary's house hungry, and everyone felt welcome. She was proud that her family truly liked one another, got along, and supported each other through every season of life. This same spirit was reflected in her marriage. Mary and John often joked at weddings, "The first 40 years are the hardest-if you can make it through those." They loved attending weddings and jokingly treated the anniversary dance as a competition, determined to be the last couple on the floor.

As a team, her and John exemplified the term family in many ways by aiding parents and many siblings. Mary was deeply devoted to her husband and children. She managed the home, played an active role in her children's activities, and later supported her grandchildren in special and meaningful ways.

It is often said that someone will be greatly missed, but in Mary's case it is deeply and truly felt-for the person she was: Mom, Grandma, Aunt Mary, and Friend.

Mary believed in Jesus Christ as her Savior, and she demonstrated that faith through her love and devotion to family and friends. She was always charitable with her time, energy, finances, and anything else where there was a need. She was mentally tough, facing many severe health issues with strength and grace. Her earthly body wore out as she took her final breath surrounded by love.

Service details will be announced at a later date.

Stier-Israel Funeral Home ~ 330-875-1414