Dora Ellen Simmons

DoraEllen Simmons, 87, passed away peacefully at her Seattle home after a long illness.

Born November 1, 1937 in Detroit, Michigan to Ellen Frances and Dr. Alvin P. Hall, she grew up in Michigan and Ohio. After H.S. graduation, DoraEllen married U.S. Airman Arthur Mitchum and together they had two beautiful daughters, Doreen Frances and Tanya Lorelle.

She moved to Columbus, Ohio with her girls to live with her parents and attend college. While at Wilberforce University in Xenia, Ohio, she earned a B.S. in Education and English; joined the Delta Sigma Theta sorority; was a member of the Semor Renk Honor Society; the Literary Society and the Dean’s List. She was awarded the Esbary Foundation of New York scholarship; the College Incentive Award; and the Association of College and University Women’s Scholarship Citation.
Her entry in the 1969-1968 ‘Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges’ includes more of her accomplishments.
In her spare time, she served as a Youth Fellowship Counselor at Asbury Methodist Church in Columbus, Ohio. While employed by The Ohio State University in the Minority Affairs Department, she was recruited by Seattle University and relocated to Washington, where both daughters joined her.
In later years, she became a Mental Health Therapist under the mentorship of friend Michael Kane, PsyD, MSW, MA. DoraEllen contributed greatly to her community by founding the Seattle Ethnic School at the historical Mount Zion Baptist Church.

In 1987 she met and married Roscoe Conklin Simmons, a retired Detroit businessman. In their free time, DoraEllen and Roscoe loved playing bridge at the Senior Center, gardening, traveling, celebrating holidays, socializing with their many friends and spending time with their in-laws and Northwest relatives. DoraEllen will be remembered for her kindness, generosity, sense of fair play, Scorpio stubbornness, and dedication to her family and community.
She is survived by her eldest daughter Doreen Mitchum, and was preceded in death by her spouse Roscoe, her brother, Alvin P. Hall Jr., and her youngest daughter Tanya Lorelle.

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