Sally M. Simms
Sally McDougall Simms was born on August 31st, 1937, in Portland Oregon to John “Jack” McDougall and Marjorie P. McDougall. She was the third of five children.
In 1951 Sally moved to Santa Barbara, CA, to attend Marymount Junior School and graduated near the top of her class. She attended Stanford University, where she attained her undergraduate degree in Sociology and from there went on to San Francisco State University and earned a teaching credential.
Sally loved living in Southern California during her teenage years and dreaded the thought of returning to the rainy northwest, so upon graduating from SF State, she moved back to Santa Barbara where she began a long and thoughtful career, nurturing and teaching young children within the Santa Barbara School District.
Upon her return to Santa Barbara, one of Sally’s first jobs was at Hillside House; a home and facility dedicated to providing care for disabled children and adults. It was at Hillside House that Sally met her future husband, Felix Simms, in 1960.
Sally and Felix eloped to Las Vegas and were married on February 2, 1963, amid the nation’s Civil Rights Movement. In 1967 they had the first of their two children, Todd David, and eight years later Melissa Robin.
Early in her career, Sally found that she most enjoyed working with younger children which was befitting of her nurturing personality. She taught at McKinley, Roosevelt and Franklin Elementary schools until 1975 when she, along with other enthusiastic educators and parents, founded the Santa Barbara Open Alternative School (OAC). Deviating from the standard classroom curriculum, The OAC took a hands-on, project-based approach to learning and empowered the children to help craft the curriculum. It was a school that celebrated diversity, taught awareness and respect of the natural environment, and instilled tolerance and compassion in its students.
When she wasn’t taking care of her students, Sally enjoyed reading in a quiet part of the house, sewing, and baking delicious cakes, holiday cookies, and her famous chewy, chocolate candy. During the Christmas holidays, the house was filled with cookies she was making for friends, and treats her students brought her as she was adored by her students and their parents. She was thoughtful and caring and often placed the needs of others above her own.
On January 7th, 2024, Sally passed away peacefully in her sleep. She was preceded in death by her husband, Felix, and by her parents, Jack and Marjorie McDougall.
A special thanks goes to all those who cared for Sally late in her life including Central Coast Home and Hospice, and especially to Katerina and Anton Zamyatina of Casa San Miguel.
Sally leaves precious memories with her son: Todd Simms (wife, Heidi) Pleasant Hill; daughter Melissa Ramirez, Santa Barbara, grandchildren; Candace, Genevieve, Illiana, Evan and Theo; brother, John McDougall and sisters, Joan Flood, Roberta McDougall and Molly Jackson as well as a beautiful bouquet of relatives and friends.