"Come to me, all you who are weary and find life burdensome, and I will refresh you.

Take my yoke upon your shoulders and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart.

Your souls will find rest, for my yoke is easy and my burden light."

Courtney Nicole Simala, 42, of San Tan Valley, AZ., was born on October 21, 1981 in Yuma, AZ., to parents Stan and Gloria Simala. Courtney passed away, and as the beautiful, comforting words of Bonnie Irr stated, "She's hugging Jesus now", on July 5, 2024, in Yuma,AZ., at The Hansen House.  She was a Medical Assistant in both Tucson and Phoenix, AZ, which was the perfect profession for her outgoing personality and kind heart.  Courtney grew up playing softball, and then would leave the field carrying her ballet shoes to go to dance class. She was a talented pianist and loved to be outside tanning at the pool, river or beach. Courtney was also an avid animal lover, particularly of dogs, especially her beloved boxer Duke, who she always referred to as her "best friend of 15 years", and her current favorite boy, another boxer named Jensen.

Courtney was feisty from the day she was born until her last day on earth. She had a beautiful, kind and caring soul, and would go out of her way to help both the people and animals she knew and loved, but also those she didn't. She was always one of the funniest and quick-witted people in the room, and had an amazing laugh, which if you ever heard it, it will not soon be forgotten. Courtney is survived by her parents, Stan and Gloria Simala, son Quinn Scrivner, sister Corinna Atchley, and brother Brett Simala, as well as her niece Madelyn Atchley, whom she absolutely adored from the day she was born, and her nephews Luke Atchley, Gavyn and Owen Simala, and her boxer Jensen. She is preceded in death by her maternal grandparents William and Edna Harker, her paternal grandparents Stanley and Ann Simala, and her best friend, her boxer Duke.

Services for Courtney are as follows: Friday, 7/19/24- Private viewing for family from 4-5pm, followed by wake and rosary open to the public from 5-9pm, at Desert Valley Mortuary located at 138 S Avenue B, Somerton, AZ.  Saturday, 7/20/24- Funeral Mass at 9:00am at St. Thomas Indian Mission Church, located at 350 Picacho Road, Winterhaven, CA. Burial at Desert Lawn Memorial Park will be held immediately following the funeral mass. Desert Lawn is located at 1415 S. 1st Avenue, Yuma, AZ. Following the burial, the family would like to invite everyone to join them at St. Thomas Indian Mission Church Hall, for a luncheon honoring Courtney. Pallbearers will be as follows- Brett, Gavyn and Owen Simala, Brian and Luke Atchley, Quinn Scrivner, Bob Mueller, as well as John and Matt Inman.

Our hearts have been broken by her passing, and our family will never be the same without her. We will miss you every single day for the rest of our lives, Court, and we love you to the moon and back. Thank you for being an amazing daughter, mother, sister, aunt and friend. We are honored to have been your family.  We are sure you are sitting by some pool or on a beach in heaven, with Duke, getting a tan, watching over all of us, and probably laughing a lot at us. The Simala family would like to extend our eternal and grateful thanks to Carmen Solano and the staff of Compassus Hospice, Bonnie Irr and all the staff of The Hansen House, for whose care and love to her in her final days was nothing short of amazing and filled with love, peace, compassion and God's presence. We would also like to extend a special thank you to April and John Fenton, Joseph of Adultcare Assistance in Phoenix for his assistance and companionship to Courtney during the last few days of her hospital stay, as well as Mary Frances Atchley, Donna and Melissa Fairchild, Stacy Morris and Jennifer Guest, without whose love, support, care, prayers and presence, both Courtney as well as our family, would have been lost.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in remembrance of Courtney, to either "The Hansen House", which is a non-profit hospice home, or the Humane Society of Yuma.

"Blessed is a man who endures trials because.....he will receive the the crown of life." James 1:12.