March 31, 1934 - December 02, 2020
The services celebrating and honoring the life of Patricia Alleen Orrell Grimes-Simsek, 86, of Mena, Arkansas, formerly of Enid, are pending under the direction of Brown-Cummings Funeral Home.
Patricia was born March 31, 1934, near Alex, OK, the only daughter of Garland D. and Elizabeth E. Orrell. She and her parents moved to Enid, Oklahoma in 1939 when she was five years old. She attended Harrison Elementary, Emerson Junior High, and Enid Senior High Schools, in Enid. She studied music and education at Phillips University, and for several years, played in the Enid-Phillips Symphony Orchestra as a violinist, and part- time conductor. She graduated with an Associate Degree in Education from Denver University, Denver, Colorado in 1964. She taught Gymnastics and Physical Education and the Seventh and Eighth grades at Mile High Academy in Denver for five years. She also studied Creative Writing and became a published author of poems and a book. Later she studied Dental Assisting, becoming a Certified Dental Assistant to Dr. Peter Sendroy in Denver, and Dr. Recknagle in Enid, Oklahoma. She studied Trust Functions and Services in Florida while working as the Executive Receptionist at Pompano Beach First National Bank Trust Department in Pompano Beach, Florida.
She married Ordell Laveen Grimes on December 25, 1953 in Enid, Oklahoma. This happy union was blessed with two sons, Gregory Eugene Grimes of Grand Junction, Colorado, and Michael Lee Scott Grimes, who has since passed away June 16, 2015. Mrs. Grimes-Simsek has several unofficially adopted adult children. Willa Jane (Janie) and Gary Dalrymple and children. Jim and Florence Kessler, to name a couple.
She has one Granddaughter, Heather Leann and husband David Simmons, and children, Denver, Colorado and one Grandson, Joshua Dell Grimes and wife Rashell, and son, of Fruita, Colorado. She has two step-grandsons, Jeremy Morrison, of Las Vegas, Nevada and Michael Morrison and wife, Crismary, of Fort Collins, Colorado, Carmen’s sons. Carmen is the widow of Michael Grimes, deceased, and Patricia’s much loved Daughter-in-law. And one Stepson, David Simsek and Stepdaughter-in-law, Aurora, of Winnemucca, Nevada. She has five Great-grandchildren: Isaiah, Samarieah, Lyriq and Chance Simmons, (Heathers children), of Denver, Colorado, and Trenden Johndell Grimes, (Joshua’s son), of Fruita, Colorado and all her many “adopted” grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
She and her family moved to Colorado in 1960, where they lived until 1973. In 1973 the family moved to South Florida for three years, returning to Enid, Oklahoma in 1976 in order to care for their widowed mothers and two aging aunts.
For 11 years she worked as a Facilitator, (Professor’s Assistant), at Northwestern Oklahoma State University – Enid campus, where she enjoyed her students, professors, and co-workers very much. She retired from NWOSU in April of 2012.
On September 22, 2013 she married Louis Alexander Simsek of Mena, Arkansas where she resided with her husband.
She was an active member of the Seventh-day-Church, attending that church wherever she lived and holding many offices for many years. After she moved to Mena, Arkansas she belonged to the Mena Seventh-day- Adventist Church and was active there.
Patricia was also a published author of many poems, and a book, “Giants in the Land”, a 2007 publication detailing her experience with catastrophic brain surgery in 1995.
She is preceded in death by and infant daughter, bailey Elizabeth Katelyn Grimes, her parents, Garland D. and Elizabeth E. Orrell, two half-brothers, Kenneth (Icky) Orrell and Ferreld Cleo (Jerry) Orrell, her beloved husband, Ordell Laveen Grimes, her youngest son, Michael Lee Scott Grimes and her second husband, Louis Alexander Simsek.
She was much loved by family and friends, and everyone who knew her will miss her very much.
Condolences may be made to the family online at www.Brown-Cummings.com. As one of Oklahomaʼs oldest single family owned and operated providers of funerals and cremations, Brown-Cummings is the name families have turned to for generations. They fully understand the honor and responsibility entrusted to them to preserve the story of oneʼs life. Visit 400 W. Maple, Enid, OK 73701. Call: (580) 237-5432.
Obituaries are posted, in part, due to the generosity of The Commons.
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