Julie Kathleen Simon

Funeral service for Julie Simon will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, January 26, 2019 at the LDS Stake Center, 1500 O’Hara Drive, Gillette, WY; interment to follow at Mount Pisgah Cemetery. Julie Kathleen Simon was born in Chickasha, Grady County, Oklahoma on October 14, 1959.  She attended grade school and high school in Ninnekah, Grady County, Oklahoma.  She attended Ricks College in Rexburg, ID where she received her associate’s degree.  She then worked in Oklahoma for a period of time when she decided to go on a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She served for a period of 18 months in the Eugene, Oregon Mission.  When she returned, she worked for the local newspaper in Chickasha, OK, where she wrote her own column called “The Write Stuff,” while at the same time attending the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma in Chickasha.  She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Communications.  She then moved to Laramie, WY to work on her master’s degree and afterward moved to Gillette, WY where she has lived for more than 25 years.  She always had a love for music and theater and became a member of the Gillette Community Theater where she met John Simon and they married on February 8, 1997.  They made their life together in Gillette and had two wonderful boys, JJ and Josh. She was very involved and active in the local community and worked for the Chamber of Commerce for 12 years before starting her own marketing consulting, and certified health and wellness coaching business.  She also was an active member of a local ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints where she has served unselfishly and given of herself for the betterment of others. She was always very passionate about helping others, much of which stemmed from the many personal health issues that she faced in her own life.  She had a true understanding of what it was like to struggle but she always faced it with a positive attitude.  She was loved by many and will be deeply missed, especially by her family.

Julie is survived by her husband, John Simon; two sons, Jordan James (JJ) and Joshua Patrick; her mother and step dad, LaDawn and Nathan Pipes;  brothers, Billy Joe, Jr (Cherrie) Bennett of Duncan, OK; Kevin Lynn (Suzy) Bennett of Logandale, NV; and Forrest Jay (Victoria) Bennett of Wichita Falls, TX.  She was preceded in death by her step-father, Billy Joe Bennett, Sr and father, Max Emory Thompson. In lieu of flowers the family request that memorials be made to benefit Julie's son's education fund. Memorials and condolences may be sent in care of Gillette Memorial Chapel 210 West 5th Street, Gillette, WY 82716. Condolences may also be expressed at www.gillettememorialchapel.com