Dorothy (Dottie) Cooper Simmons was born September 1, 1946 in Denver, Colorado and was raised by her Great Uncle and Aunt in Cheyenne, Wyoming.  She passed peacefully at home under hospice care at the age of 74, and now resides in heaven with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, whom she served most of  her adult life.  Funeral services will be held on Thursday, August 5, 2021, at the Holy Life Tabernacle in Brookings at 10:30 A.M.  Interment will take place at Fairview Cemetery in White, South Dakota.  A time of visitation will be held the evening prior, Wednesday, August 4, 2021, from 5:00 until 7:00 P.M. at Eidsness Funeral Home in Brookings.  Eidsness Funeral Home is assisting the Simmons family with arrangements.

Dottie married Roger Simmons of White, South Dakota on September 3, 1964, while he was stationed at the air base in Cheyenne.  Upon his discharge from the Air Force, they moved back to White, where this city girl became a dairy farmer's wife; helping raise the baby calves, bailing hay, and milked cows when needed and oh yeah…gave birth and raised five children: Shelly in 1965, Lee in 1967, April in 1971, Casey in 1975 and Joshua in 1978.

She was a telephone switchboard operator at the Cheyenne AT&T from 1963 to 1965.  She also worked as a nurse's aide at the Hendricks (MN), White (SD) and Brookings (SD) Care Centers.  After taking a computer short course, she was able to get a secretarial job at South Dakota State University's Registrar's Office from 1998 to 2018 until health issues caused her to retire.

Dottie was proceeded in death by her son Lee, her parents, uncles, and aunts, especially her Aunt Dorothy Markley, who helped raise her.

She is survived by her husband Roger; her children Shelly (John) Zajic, April (Gordy) Clarin, Casey and Joshua (Flavia Cesa); her granddaughters Pheobe McDonald, Jamie Simmons, Brittany and Emily Hutt, Kaiya Simmons; a step-granddaughter Mariah Clarin; one-great grandson, Keegan Ray and a step-granddaughter Emery Clarin.

The family would like to thank all of the hospice workers that helped with her care at home and for all the love we've received from our friends and family.