Deloris Simon

Deloris M. Simon (Demarais), age 95, of Mounds View, passed away Wednesday, February 20, 2019.

Deloris was born and raised on the family farm in Bovey, Minnesota and graduated from Coleraine High School. She served as a W.A.V.E. in the United States Navy from 1943 to 1946 as a Storekeeper 2nd Class, based primarily in Chicago, Illinois. She attended Itasca Junior College earning a Home Economics degree and continued her college education while serving in the Navy.

Following her military service, Deloris married Simon T. Simon on April 7, 1947.  Together they lived, loved, and raised their family in Mounds View. Deloris and Si worked side-by-side along with Betty, Andy, Luella, and all the kids (who were paid in penny candy) for many years in the Simon family businesses which included a grocery store, a liquor store, and a sports shop on Hwy. 10 in Mounds View.  Deloris even ran a root beer stand in the early days where she began her lifelong career as a food pusher!

Deloris was a devoted wife and mother.  She was Grandma Dee to plenty of grand and great-grandchildren.  She was Auntie Dee to many nieces and nephews and was a second mom to everyone the kids dragged home.

Juggling her time between “the store” and home, she found lots of time to become well-known for the delicious meals she prepared.  To Deloris, food was love, and no one ever left her table hungry.  Even when one more turned up and she claimed there wasn’t enough food, the miracle of Loaves and Fishes always presented itself and no one left with an empty belly.

An avid reader, she enjoyed reading anything she could get her hands on.  When she wasn’t reading, Deloris was an accomplished fisherwoman beating Si many times in their bet of who would land the first or biggest fish.  They loved sightseeing (stopping at every wayside marker or big ball of twine) and fishing all the many lakes along the way, including salmon fishing in Door County, Wisconsin.

In her younger days, she loved jitterbugging, archery, bowling, target shooting, and even lawn jarts.  She excelled at playing Pinochle but switched to Canasta after a highly-spirited match where she beat the pants off Si and he sent the cards flying across the room (cards kept turning up in the strangest places for the next few months).

She enjoyed watching the Minnesota Twins, the Vikings, and PGA golf on TV.  In her later years, cooking shows on the Food Network were her favorites to watch (ALL DAY LONG).

Deloris was preceded in death by her loving husband, Simon. She will be deeply missed by her 8 children: Dianne Sawchuk (John), Lawrence (Koreen), James (Kathy), Theresa, Daniel (Wendy), Mary, Karen Edmond (Robert), and Susan (Diane Oberto); 10 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; brother, James “Tim” (Audrey); sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, and friends.

Services will be held at Miller Funeral Home, 6210 Hwy. 65 NE – Fridley. Visitation from 6:00-8:00pm on Wednesday, February 27, with a Memorial Mass on Thursday, February 28, at 10am, with a visitation one-half hour prior.

In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred to the American Cancer Society.