Submitted by Family
On Saturday, Aug. 10, with great sorrow, we said goodbye to Ginger Lee Simmons of Scottsdale, Ariz. She passed away from complications due to heart valve disease which she fought with strength and courage for many years. Ginger was surrounded by her loving family who will truly miss her as there will be a void in all our lives.
Ginger was born in Tulsa, Okla., on Feb. 9, 1954, a tribal member of the Osage Nation to Barbara Rodman Lacy and Rudolph Alton Lacy.
Ginger was a beautiful person inside and out and she was fearless and independent, yet sensitive and extremely compassionate and spiritual. Ginger loved her life in Arizona and family with all her heart, and she made us all better human beings. Ginger lived her life on her terms and was very intelligent, sassy and a little bit bossy. Ginger met her husband Dana in Jacksonville, Fla., in 1986 and they were inseparable from the day they met.
Ginger was fun spirited and had many passions. Ginger’s love for travel led her and her husband on many exciting adventures. She was an excellent chef, enjoyed decorating her home, hiking, walking, exercising for mind, body and spirit. Ginger liked concerts, music of all kinds, shopping, theatre, museums, and was an avid reader. Ginger loved her dogs, cats and all animals, and she enjoyed movies, flowers and plants.
Ginger had a zest for life and a beautiful warm stunning smile that would light up a room wherever she went. Her kitchen was the heart of her home and known for its warmth and unforgettable aromas. There was no doubt among her friends and family about who made the best appetizers. Ginger always managed to use every dish and utensil in the entire kitchen to make her wonderful meals. She really enjoyed going out with friends to nice restaurants, concerts or entertaining in her home. She loved jewelry, especially Native American jewelry made of silver and turquoise, and she loved to meet the artists and jewelry designers.
Ginger was a world traveler and visited all 50 states in the United States. She also traveled to Canada, Mexico, Europe and Asia to various countries. She especially enjoyed Italy, Spain and Portugal. Ginger loved the Arizona desert and mountains and loved the ocean as well.
Ginger spent her formative years in Ocala, Fla., graduating from Vanguard High School in 1972. Ginger began her collegiate experience at the University of Florida and graduated from Georgia Southwestern State University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Marketing. Ginger had a very successful and distinguished career in the Insurance and Financial Services industry and held series 6, 7, and 63 licenses and many other designations in the industry. Ginger had a long career at Prudential Insurance as an Underwriter and became Director of Underwriting within a very short period. She made a move to Compliance and became Director of Agency Compliance. She was offered a position in Scottsdale, Arizona as Vice President of Agency Compliance for the Western United States region. Following her career with Prudential, she made the bold move to become a business owner of Maid Brigade of Arizona and was very successful in building the company and decided to sell after operating for 10 years.
Ginger is survived by her husband of 33 years, Dana Michael Simmons; her mother, Barbara Rodman Lacy; sister, Kay Lacy Bowman; brother-in-law, Larry Bowman; brother, Scott Lacy; sister-in-law, Kathy Lacy; her aunt, Rozella (Rosie) Turner; Ann Smith; sister-in-law, Judy Simmons-Leone; and brother-in-law, Michael Leone. She also had uncles, many cousins, nieces and nephews, and several lifelong friends.
There are no services planned at this time, and a Celebration of life for Ginger will be held later in Ocala.
In lieu of flowers, donations in her name may be made to Foothills Animal Rescue in Scottsdale, AZ or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
