Dorothy Lakata Sims

Born Dorothy Rose Lakata, she was raised in upstate New York in the towns of Johnson City and Binghamton in a community of what was likely Ukrainian immigrants. She spoke Russian as a child and always identified as "Russian" throughout her life. Her parents, John and Bertha, raised four children of which Dorothy was the eldest, followed by her brother Bob, then sisters, Jane and Delores. Delores, the youngest, is the last surviving sibling.

In the late 50's, Dorothy moved to St. Petersburg, Florida for change and sunshine. She loved her job there as a secretary for the Florida power company. It was in St. Petersburg where she met and married Joseph Donald Sims, Jr. (JD) in 1964. The following year they moved to Seattle, Washington, for JD to begin graduate school at the University of Washington while Dorothy worked at Boeing until she became pregnant. Soon enough, they bought a small house in the Enatai neighborhood of Bellevue and raised their three children there. Don was the eldest, born in 1967. Juliana followed in 1969, and William in 1970. Although Dorothy and JD ended up divorcing, Dorothy remained in the house she loved and continued living an active life in Bellevue amongst her many dear friends.

Always appreciative that her children settled down in the Seattle area, Dorothy was joyfully involved in the lives of her three grandchildren. Don married Amy McDonald, and they have two teenage daughters, Jordan and Lauren. Juliana married Greg Wesner, and they have an eleven year old boy named Silas. William became the loving Uncle to his nieces and nephew. Always cheerful and helpful, Dorothy delighted in being a grandmother.

Dorothy was always an active person and loved physical fitness. She excelled at tennis, hiking, learned to ski in her 40's, and was an avid jogger - at times running 10 miles daily or more. This complemented her life's passion for the practice and teaching of Hatha Yoga. She loved her students and taught continuously for over 40 years. She also loved to cook and enjoyed participation in a gourmet cooking club for years.

Dorothy was also passionately committed to her church and the community at St. Nectarios American Orthodox Church in north Seattle. A traditional Orthodox Funeral Service will begin at St. Nectarios at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, November 1, followed by a short graveside burial service at Evergreen Washelli and then a casual luncheon back at the church.

In lieu of flowers, any remembrances can be sent to Washington Women in Need, a wonderful charity that Dorothy supported for years. A link to their site is provide here: http://wwin.org/