Anna Doris Simonis

March 17, 1945 - May 15, 2025

Carmichael, California - Anna Doris (Gober) Simonis flew away to the Great Unknown on May 15th, 2025, after battling several kinds of cancer since 2005. She was born March 17, 1945 on a little cotton farm outside Greenwood, Mississippi, the youngest of five daughters born to Katie Frances (Howard) Gober and Harry Duncan Gober. Doris grew up on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, graduating from Gulfport High School in 1963 and earning a B.A. degree in English (with highest honors) from the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg in 1967.

She taught English and French at Gulfport High School the following year, then spent a few memorable months living in San Francisco and later, Paris, where she worked as an au pair and studied French at the Alliance Francaise. Upon her return to the U.S., she worked as a Sales Agent for Pan American World Airways in Houston and later, Los Angeles. As an airline employee, Doris could fly anywhere inexpensively, so she did a lot of international travel during those years! On Sept. 2, 1972 she married Edvardas K. "Ed" Simonis, a geologist and Lithuanian immigrant. They honeymooned in London, Moscow, and Vilnius, Lithuania, where they visited Ed's father, Karolis Simonis. Over the next 16 years, they lived in Los Angeles, CA; Ahwaz, Iran; Aurora, CO; Boulder, CO; Vienna, VA; Concord, CA; Walnut Creek, CA; Houston, TX; Walnut Creek again; and finally, Carmichael, CA. The 2 ½ years they lived in Iran (Jan. 1974 to June 1976) gave them a better understanding of Persian culture and how the history of U.S.-Iran relations continues to affect the world today. When they moved to Carmichael in 1988 they were finally ready to settle down and lived in the same home for all of their remaining years together.

For many years, Doris was a full-time mom to sons Lukas and Adam, volunteering at their schools, scout organizations, and soccer teams. She also served on or led a number of school and church committees and edited the church newsletter and a 2007 church history, In Good Times and in Bad (Unitarian Universalist Society of Sacramento). For several years, she served on San Juan School District's Curriculum and Standards Committee and volunteered with such community organizations as Loaves and Fishes and Literacy Little League. In 1989, she enrolled in classes at CSU Sacramento to earn California teaching credentials. Over the years, she worked in Houston, Walnut Creek, and Sacramento as a substitute teacher or teaching assistant in classes from kindergarten through high school. During the Nineties, she was a writing instructor for students with disabilities at CSU Sacramento. Prior to her retirement in 2010, she had worked for 12 years as a Library Assistant at North Sacramento Public Library. Though it didn't bring her much money or recognition, that job was her favorite, because there was an element of social work in it. Frequently, library staff had an opportunity to help someone or do something of value to the community.

Doris was a lifelong avid reader and belonged to several book groups over the years as well as facilitating groups for writers and poetry lovers. Another passion of hers was genealogy. Looking back and imagining the lives of her ancestors gave her an appreciation for history and the brevity of our time on this earth. Digging into the lives of her forebears was almost a spiritual experience for her. She spent a lot of time on trails along the American River near her home, soaking in the beauty of nature and following her passion for nature photography and birding. Along with poetry reading and meditation, those walks brought her peace during difficult times.

Doris is survived by her beloved husband of over 50 years, Ed Simonis; two sons, Lukas Simonis and Adam Simonis, and daughter-in-law Alyson Thomas Simonis, all of the Sacramento area, as well as her sisters Frances Snyder of Fort Walton Beach, FL; Linda Perkins of Montgomery, AL; and Charlotte Tyner of Oxford, MS and brothers-in-law Ken Smith, Mack Perkins, and Larry Tyner. She also leaves behind many nieces and nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews, and three great- great- nieces/nephews. Two nieces who lived nearby, Becky Jones of Roseville, and Jenny Snyder, formerly of Grass Valley, showed Doris great kindness.

Doris was predeceased by her parents, Katie and Harry Gober, sister Louise Gober Smith, and brother-in-law, Dr. A.F. "Pete" Snyder. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to the Unitarian Universalist Society of Sacramento, Save Our Selves, or the Sacramento Multiple Myeloma Support Group. The family will provide details for the memorial service at a later date.

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Published by The Sacramento Bee from May 19 to May 21, 2025.