By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org
The City of Wyoming’s first female Planning Commission member and beloved historian Dorothy Simon-Tibbe died Aug. 11. She was 88 years old.
During Monday night’s meeting, Mayor Jack Poll remembered Simon-Tibbe, who had been the city’s first female Planning Commissioner and had served on the Wyoming Historical Commission.
“Dorothy was deeply involved in community and served in several study committees and events like the Rodeo and many other pursuits,” Poll said. “We are grateful for Dorothy’s service and know her legacy will serve as a testimonial to others.”
On a personal note, Poll said he had gotten to now Simon-Tibbe when he owned Pfieffer Pharmacy on Burton Street. In fact, he remembered receiving a note from her only a few months ago about something she had saw in Wyoming and would miss that.
“Dorothy challenged the city to honor its history, while being proactive in its development,” said City of Wyoming Director of Community Services Rebecca Rynbrandt. “She was a champion of city’s economic progress and land development through her appointment as the City’s first female Planning Commissioner. Throughout her life, she forested great passion for the preservation of Wyoming’s history by being a member of our Historical Commission and publisher of the City’s history books. We will miss her greatly.”
Simon-Tibbe helped to co-author two history books on the City of Wyoming: “Wilderness to Wyoming” and “A City of Wyoming: A History.” She also wrote a book for her family “Hoe Your Own Row.”
On the Wyoming Historical Room’s Facebook page it talked about Simon-Tibbe’s dedication to the city’s history in that she was “instrumental in the publishing of Wyoming’s two history books, spending hundreds of hours typing out stories and doing interviews.”
For the City of Wyoming, Simon-Tibbe also served on Mayor Wiest’s Study Committee, Mayor Eardley’s Urban Renewal Study, Wyoming City Census Board, Rodeo Board, Festival Committee, and City Manager Mason’s DDFA. Considering the number of city committees she had been on, Simon-Tibbe once joked that “I knew every mayor and city council member…at least who was in my age bracket.”
She also was Mrs. Santa for 25 years for special needs functions, a reporter for the Wyoming Advocate/South Kent News, WERX Radio Girl Friday, served on the Beckmaze Historical Society in the City of Wyoming, and was a reporter for the WKTV Journal.
In her last interview with the WKTV Journal in February, Simon-Tibbe acknowledged she had no regrets.
“I have had such an incredible life,” she said. “As I look at the end of life, I am not bother by it at all. I married two wonderful husbands, had five wonderful children by birth, three foster children, 19 grandchildren, 47 great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild.”
Simon-Tibbe was preceded in death by her husbands, Robert A. Simon and James Tibbe.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Oasis of Hope Center, 522 Leonard St. NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49504 (ohcgr.org)
