Doris Therese (Millard) Simpson

In Loving Memory, Doris Therese Simpson passed away peacefully at the age of 88, on April 21, 2017. Doris was born at Berndale Hospital in Vineburg, CA, on November 29, 1928, to Victor and Sylvia Picetti Millard and was a third generation Sonoman. Doris’ grandparents moved to Sonoma in 1907, shortly after the San Francisco earthquake, and owned 100+ acres off Napa Road, where they farmed fruits and vegetables.  Doris’ parents lived a block from downtown Sonoma until her father gambled their home away in a poker game. Doris and her sister were then lovingly raised by her mother and aunt in the family home on Fourth Street East. Doris spent a lot of time on the family farm, and a favorite story was when she would sneak rides on the milk cow, Snoopy, hoping her uncle wouldn’t catch her. She played women’s basketball at Sonoma Valley High and graduated in 1945.

Doris met Dean Rodgers while attending SRJC. They married and moved to Eugene, Oregon, where he attended OSU. After graduation, they spent time in Northern California, where he worked in the forestry industry, and her love for botany and horticulture thrived. Dean then enlisted in the Army, and they spent time in Washington, DC, and found their love of ballroom dancing. After the war, they settled back in Santa Rosa, CA, to raise a family.

When Doris returned to work, she was the Director of Personnel’s Executive Secretary at Sonoma County Office of Education until she retired in 1994 after 30 years. In 1983, Doris met back up with high school friend and soulmate Donald Simpson. They were married in 1985 and spent 10 loving years together traveling, caring for their grandsons, and playing golf until Don’s passing.

Doris always expressed her love for her family, knew her sports and was an avid gardener. She enjoyed working as a head judge at her children’s swim meets, running 5 &10Ks, attending her grandsons’ sporting events and especially, later in life, watching sports on TV with her grandsons. She is most fondly remembered for making chocolate chip cookies and attending ALL of her grandson’s home baseball games.

Doris was survived by her daughter and two sons, Karen Clyde, Randy Rogers & Loren Rogers; two adored and deeply loved grandsons, Kyle and Collin Clyde; sister Jacqueline Prosser; nieces and nephews Debi Gade, Steve, Greg and Mike Prosser; and cousins June Sheppard and Phyllis Lucas. Doris also adored and was survived by Drew Clyde and Leigh Platt Rogers.   

Her services will be held on Friday, May 5, at 11:00am at Duggan’s Mission Chapel in Sonoma, CA.  In lieu of flowers, Doris requested that donations be made to the Sonoma Valley High School Boosters club (sports), P.O. Box 1264, Sonoma, CA 95476, or to a favorite charity.

 Service Information