Dale Simmons Lea

Dale Simmons Halsey Lea, 74, passed away peacefully on August 10, 2024 at Avita of Brunswick. She is survived by her husband, Thomas Lea, her children, Allison and Halsey Lea, as well as her daughter-in-law, granddaughter, three sisters, and half-sister and half-brother.

Dale grew up in Amherst, MA, with her mother and father and three younger sisters. She spent her time focused on her studies, singing, and performing in her high school’s plays and musicals. She attended Wheaton College in Norton, MA, and graduated in 1972 Phi Beta Kappa with a BA in English. She then went on to obtain her Nursing Degree from Marymount College of Virginia, graduating in 1978 as class valedictorian. Shortly thereafter, Dale moved to Portland, Maine, where she married, and had a daughter and son. She resided in Maine for the rest of her life.

After a successful career in nursing, Dale became board certified as a genetic counselor and went on to get her Masters in Public Health from Loma Linda University, graduating in 1992. She spent several decades dedicated to genomics health education and was well-regarded among her peers. She worked at the Foundation for Blood Research, the National Human Genome Research Institute at the National Institutes of Health, and Maine Genetics Program. Dale was also a founding member of the International Society of Nurses in Genetics (ISONG) in 1987 and remained an active board member and co-chair throughout her entire career.

Dale authored and co-authored over 60 publications and 10 books related to nursing and genomics and genomics health education. She also received numerous awards, served as principal investigator on several grant-funded research projects, and was an invited guest speaker countless times throughout her 40-year career.

Dale retired in 2014 and spent her free time volunteering at a local assisted living facility reading poetry to the residents. She also volunteered for Big Brother Big Sisters and had a lovely relationship with a little sister for over a decade after her own children went off to college.

Those who knew and loved Dale will remember her as a caring, charismatic, selfless person, who was dedicated to her family and career, and helping those around her. She loved being a mother and often told others how proud she was of her children. Even in her final years, she was beloved by the staff at Avita for having such a sweet, kind soul. We will miss her dearly, but are relieved her spirit is finally at rest.

There will be a memorial service for Dale in the coming months. Her ashes will be buried in Falmouth, Maine. In lieu of flowers or cards, please make a donation to the Wheaton College School of Nursing or Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern Maine.