Ellen Marie Simoni

1934 - 2019

Ellen Marie Simoni died peacefully in the company of family members on Sunday, April 7, 2019. She was born on February 21, 1934 in Oakland, California. Ellen attended the University of San Francisco, majoring in Nursing. Simoni was a registered Girl Scout Leader for 31 years and was the Neighborhood Chairman and Camp Director for the American Girl Scout Troops in Teheran, Iran (1975-1977). Ellen and her husband moved to Punta Gorda, Florida in 1980 when her husband retired from the US Army. She was active in Real Estate for 18 years as a Realtor/Broker. In 1998 she opened St. Rita's Books and Gifts, a Catholic media bookstore. Her store after her husband's passing was a calling to a secondary vocation. The store became her life and the most hopeful and fulfilling endeavor she took on after being a mother, a mission urged on her by the Holy Spirit. In 2015, Ellen suffered a stroke and the bookstore was closed and she moved by her son Martin, in Fairfield, Ohio. Ellen was a devoted spouse, loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.

She is survived by her Aunt Dixie of Lodi, California and her brother-in-law, Donald Simoni (Barbara) of Los Altos, California. She was the loving mother of Deborah Anne DeMasse; Richard Joseph (Denan) Simoni II; Theresa Marie (Fred) Kinzel; Martin Paul (Dawn) Simoni; Michael Donald (Roberta) Simoni; Marianne Beth (Frank) Casamassima. She is survived by grandchildren John Michael and Nathan Charles DeMasse; Stephanie Marie Simoni, LCDR, US Navy, Paul Richard (Leslie) Simoni, Steven Michael (Caitlin) Simoni; Ellen Marie Cassidy, CAPT, US Army National Guard; Erin Elizabeth, Daniel Joseph, David Joseph, and Emma Catherine Simoni; Brian Conner, Karina Grace and Eric Michael Simoni and survived by great-grandchildren Parker Rose and Lucas Martin Simoni and Henry Lawrence and Brady Richard Cassidy. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death in 1996 by her husband, Richard J. Simoni, LTC (ret)., US Army, and her parents, Francis and June Walsh and her brother-in-law and wife: Paul and Marilyn Simoni.

Burial will be at Arlington National Cemetery on June 28, 2019 at 9:00 a.m. There will be a Catholic service at the grave site at this time. The Family requests that Masses be said for the repose of her soul.