William "Bill" Simpson, Sr., 83, of Plummer, Minnesota died on Saturday, July 20, 2002, at his rural Plummer home. Arrangements are with the Johnson Funeral Service in Red Lake Falls.
Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, July 24, 2002, at 11:00 AM at the Seventh-day Adventist Church, 1004 Tindolph Av S in Thief River Falls, MN, with Pastor Mark Luckiesh officiating. Burial will be in the Oak Grove Cemetery at Red Lake Falls, MN.
Visitation will be held on Tuesday from 6 to 8 PM, with a 7:00 PM Prayer Service at the Johnson Funeral Home in Red Lake Falls. There will also be a one hour visitation at the TRF Seventh-day Adventist Church in Thief River Falls prior to the funeral service on Wednesday.
William Martin Simpson was born April 22, 1919 at Afton, Iowa, son of the late Walter and Inez (Anderson) Simpson. He was raised and attended school in Creston, Iowa. On March 12, 1941, he entered the US Army, serving as Tank Destroyer Commander in the Philippines, New Guinea, Eastern Mandates, Bismarck Archipelago, and Luzon, receiving the Bronze Medal with Bronze V Device, the Good Conduct Medal, the American Defense Service Ribbon, and the Philippine Liberation Ribbon with one Bronze Star. Bill was honorably discharged on August 16, 1945. He married Helen H. Hesse on June 16, 1946 in St. Paul, MN. They lived in St. Paul where he worked for the railroad and for Union Brass. In 1950 the family moved to the farm south of Plummer, where they resided until 1987 when they moved into their present home just west of Plummer. Bill farmed in the Plummer area and he also worked for American Crystal Sugar in Crookston.
Bill liked hunting and fishing and he enjoyed shooting the bull with his family and friends, but most of all he enjoyed the time spent with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was a life member of the VFW, and a member of the Plummer American Legion, the NRA, and the NFO.
Bill is survived by his wife, Helen Simpson of Plummer, MN; two sons, William Martin Simpson II of Detroit Lakes, MN, and Charles Sylvester (Jolayne) Simpson of Plummer, MN; grandchildren, Jennifer (Joe) Rector in Indiana, William Simpson III of Detroit Lakes, MN and Scott Simpson of Detroit Lakes, MN, Tracy Jo(Ryan) Peterson of Tolstoy, SD, Mindy (Larry) Juhl of Payson, UT, and Patrick Simpson of Plummer, MN; and four great-grandchildren, Baron and Alea Juhl, and Rylee and Faith Peterson. He is also survived by one brother, Charles Edward Simpson of Port Angeles, WA. Bill was preceded in death by his parents and one sister, Mary (Simpson) Stout.