Simone Emilie Garcia, 78, of Colorado Springs, passed away in her home on Friday, October 30, 2015, after a battle with brain cancer. She was diagnosed only 4-1/2 months prior to her passing.

Simone (Sammie, to her friends and loved ones) was born on May 24, 1937, in Shickshinny, PA, to her parents, Charles and Laura Shovlin.

Sammie grew up in Durham, CT, and, after graduating from Durham High School, would attend the Yale School of Nursing, where she became a Licensed Practical Nurse.

The travel bug bit Sammie very early in life. She joined the Air Force at the age of eighteen. While stationed at Newburgh Air Force Base, New York, she met Fred Garcia, who was also in the Air Force. They married in 1959, four months after meeting, and remained together for the next 56 years.

Sammie loved to sew and quilt. She put those skills to good use when she volunteered her time to make dresses for the needy, and blanket/stuffed animal sets for the Firemen's Association. One stitch, one thoughtful gesture, one selfless sacrifice, one unforgettable smile at a time.

She also volunteered for Headstart, Silver Key and, when her daughters were young, served as a Girl Scout Leader.

Never one to sit still, another interest that kept Sammie busy was her garden. Anyone fortunate enough to stroll through Sammie's nursery would have appreciated the care and attention that went into its cultivation. Like the plants in her garden, she has nurtured the seed of love in our hearts.

While Sammie loved to pursue her hobbies and put her skills to good use, anyone who knew her would tell you her true passion was traveling.

She saw the world, from Britain to Vietnam, Thailand to New Zealand. Her children and grandchildren were often the recipients of her generosity when she took them along as her traveling companions.

Kind. Friendly. Compassionate. Adventurous. These words come close, but ultimately fail to capture the spirit of the woman we knew and loved. Her life and legacy will be remembered in our hearts for the rest of our days.

Simone is survived by her husband, Fredrick Victor Garcia, her daughter, Maria Garcia, her daughter and son-in-law Tina and Dan Brown, her four grandchildren, Andrew and Nicolle Brown, Brent and Justin Spivey, and one great-grandchild, Kennedy Brown. She is preceded in death by her son, Frederick Victor Garcia.

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