Sarah R. Simmons
Born in Tennessee, Sarah R. (Sally) Simmons moved to Miami, Arizona in 1953. She received her B.A. from the University of Arizona in 1970 and her J.D. from the University of Denver in 1973. She practiced law in Tucson for 31 years and became a Superior Court judge in 2006. She has been Tucson's Woman of the Year (1994) the State Bar's Co-Member of the Year (2004) and has received a Woman on the Move award and a Woman of Influence designation. She was president of the State Bar in 1993-94 the first woman from Southern Arizona to receive that honor. She has served as president of the DM-50 the Tohono Chul Park Board and the Metropolitan Tucson Convention and Visitors Bureau. She has been a board member for United Way and the Tucson Airport Authority and has been a member of the Executive Committee of the United States Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services. Her favorite title is Mom. The above are some of Sally's honors in her public life. We chose to honor Sally for her private life. Sally is an exceptional person -- she's intelligent beautiful and accomplished in her chosen profession and in her charitable endeavors but more importantly she has a loving heart. She cares about people as individuals and nowhere is that loving care more clearly seen than with her family. We love her even more for her care of others and for her honestly and integrity. Her sons are certain that they have the best most loving mother in the world and I am certain that there is no better sister. She is absolutely deserving of a place in the University of Arizona Women's Plaza of Honor. P.S. Sally is also a huge Wildcat booster. Go Cats! -- Betsy Van De Beuken