Columnist Sandra Thompson: A tribute to the keeper of Clark County’s unsung heroes

Sandra Thompson

Saturday, Aug. 22, 1998 | 5:16 a.m.

IT seems fitting that the woman dedicated to honoring the "unsung heroes" of Clark County was herself an unsung hero.

A petite woman who barely stood 5 feet tall, Fedora Bontempi Simpkin was a fountain of spirit and energy. Her feather-light hair was always neatly coiffed and swept up in waves. Her large, brown eyes lit up when she laughed, which was often. She had an elegant and gracious manner that endeared people to her. She could brighten any room, no matter how crowded.

For 28 years, she coordinated the Clark County Mother of the Year Awards. It was a true labor of love. She always referred to them as a tribute to the unsung heroes of Clark County -- our mothers.

She formed a nonprofit committee to coordinate the awards and then asked area hotels to contribute a dinner for two for the honorees, and a venue for the awards ceremony. She got local entertainment groups, including the popular Irish Show Band, to perform. For many years, Peter Lind Hayes and Mary Healy graciously accepted her invitations and added a special touch to the program.

Like the Mother of the Year honorees, Fedora's achievements were numerous. She experienced many triumphs and some heartaches, approaching both with courage and elegance.

She was passionate about cooking, traveling, serving the Las Vegas community and, most of all, her daughter, Didi, whom she considered her best friend and best accomplishment. The two were devoted to each other.

In the early 1950s, in a society that preferred its women to stay at home, Fedora blazed trails in television as the host of a cooking show in New York. The show continued in some form or another for 18 years.

She wrote cookbooks and, for many years, cooking and restaurant articles for a variety of publications. She was in the International Who's Who and "Women of Las Vegas."

She had visited just about every corner of the world. She had audiences with popes. She received honors from the president of Italy. In 1957, she was even named an honorary lieutenant commander of the U.S. Navy for a special TV documentary she made on submariners on the USS Conger in New London, Conn.

No matter what job or endeavor, she tackled it with a boundless energy.

Last Monday in the early morning hours, that energy was quietly sapped from her. She was 91.

The community lost a great patron; I lost a dear friend.

How do you say goodbye to someone who was so full of life?

A few years ago, after she had a heart operation, Fedora had given me a typewritten account of the highlights of her life. It was the stuff women's novels are made of.

She left behind the bustling world of television and New York City and settled in the dusty, desert town of Las Vegas in the early 1960s to be near her daughter, who lived here.

She became involved in nearly every local charitable organization through the years. One of her passions was St. Jude's Women's Auxiliary, which raised funds for St. Jude's Ranch for abandoned, abused and neglected children. She also worked on senior citizen issues. She was a devout Catholic and a faithful Democrat.

But more importantly, she was a true lady, a kind-hearted soul who gave more than she took. She was as beautiful on the inside as she was on the outside.

People marveled at her creamy, smooth skin and large, doe eyes. They would always guess her age to be 20 years younger than it was. Fedora chuckled -- but never corrected them.

She had a keen mind. She kept meticulous records, especially of the history of the Mother of the Year awards so they could be part of the history of Las Vegas.

She lived life to the fullest and once said that she was prepared for the next life. She wasn't afraid; she would accept death when it came.

Hopefully, this is just another of her exciting journeys to a faraway place.

We are grateful she stayed here so long, but are sorry to see her leave.

Bon voyage, dear.