Simone Monique Simley

Simone Monique Simley was born January 4th, 1970 in Sydney, Australia. Moved to Canberra, A.C.T when she was 4. Went to Ginninderra High School in Canberra, graduating in 1986. Enjoyed playing cricket while in H.S. and running. Wasn’t too keen on the schooling part, although excelled in her elocution class. Helped her mum with cleaning not only their home but also other peoples homes when Simone would go with her mum. Simone also studied her mum cooking, always giving her mum the credit when people would compliment her cooking. Simone always kept our home clean and dusted. She was a terribly hard worker with anything to do with our house. She worked in nutrition prior to getting married. She married shortly after H.S., and was a homemaker to two children.

In 2000, she met and married Marc Simley and moved to Amarillo, Texas. She went to Amarillo College to study to become a Certified Nursing Assistant. After graduating with an Associate’s degree in CNA she got a job at Craig Methodist Retirement Community, working in the Alzheimer Secure Care Clinic. Even though the work was terribly difficult and challenging, she loved it, and most certainly loved the patients.

She realized that the job was tearing her down, especially considering all her medical challenges, and decided to pursue being a dental assistant after resigning from Craig. She first worked at Harwell & Harwell as an orthodontic assistant, then worked for Smiley Workshop as a dental assistant, and then worked lastly at the Amarillo VA Hospital in Amarillo, Texas. While in her 3rd year at the VA liver cancer was diagnosed. After receiving multiple chemical and radiological treatments directly to the tumor, it was finally destroyed, at which point they did a liver transplant.

She medically retired after the transplant, but still loved life and living, and picked up many hobbies. She made 3 skydives, studied and received her Basic Underwater Scuba Certificate making numerous dives at Blue Hole in New Mexico and also dives at Lake Merideth north of Amarillo. She learned to paint, and was quite accomplished at it. She picked up sewing, and crochet, and enjoyed making blankets for everybody she came in contact with. She also loved riding with Marc on his motorcycle. She was involved with many activities and events with the Christian Motorcyclists Association. She was involved with the Run For the Son portion of CMA, which is that part that organizes donations for three main mission fields of CMA. She was always willing to learn and to participate, even when she was in pain. One of her all-time favorite things to do was visit her family down under. She so enjoyed visiting her mum and dad every year, and certainly enjoyed visiting her son Matthew and his wife Emily each and every trip over. And she had the best time when visiting her grandkids. They were the apple of her eye. And, of course, enjoyed her time with the kiddo’s parents, Rhiannon and Tim.

She moved with Marc to Sedona to take care of his mother when Marc’s mom broke her hip in 2021. Simone and Marc lived in Sedona for 5 years when in May 2026 Simone found out she had liver cancer again.

She is survived by 3 sisters, Annita, Sharie, and Kim. Simone’s husband of 26 years, Marc Simley. Marc’s sister Karen Simley, and Marc’s son Louis Simley. Simone’s mother Corrie Jackson, her step-father, Dennis Jackson, her daughter Rhiannon Potiphar and her husband Tim Potiphar, and their 3 children, Evelyn-9, Aurora-7, and Elijah-4. Simone is also survived by her son Matthew Savage, and his wife Emily Savage. Simone had a brother, Anthony Shand, precede her in death in 2010. Simone also had a premature baby, Justin Savage, precede her in death in 1990 who is now with her in Heaven.

Simone led a life devoted to Jesus and left a legacy of an entire family who loves the Lord. She was very active at church, both in Amarillo and Sedona. She loved God, family, life, and saw every person as made in the image of God who is loved by Him. She was an example of a true servant. We will miss her but know she is in Heaven, her eternal home.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation made in Simone's honor.
For Simone's family and friends in Australia, please use this link to donate to the Cancer Council
For those in the U.S., please use this link to donate to the American Cancer Society