Raymond Simpson 1893-1955

SIMPSON, ROBINSON, BODENHOFER, WORTMAN

Posted By: Sharon Elijah (email)
Date: 12/7/2016 at 08:14:45

27 January 1955 - The Clarence Sun

Raymond Ralph Simpson, next to the youngest of a family of nine sons, was born to Pleasant and Olive Robinson Simpson, May 25, 1893, on a farm near Olin, Iowa.

Mr. Simpson passed away at Worrall Methodist Mayo Hospital at Rochester, Minn., Tuesday morning, January 18, 1955, at 2:30 a.m. after an illness of nearly a year at St. Lukes Hospital in June, 1954, and at his home in Mechanicsville. At the time of his passing he had reached the age of 61 years, 7 months and 24 days.

He was united in marriage to Miss Helen Bodenhofer of Mechanicsville on September 17, 1914 at Iowa City. To this union two daughters were born, Louise and Marjorie. Marjorie passed away June 5, 1931.

He received his education in the Anamosa Public schools and business education at Grant Vocational school at Cedar Rapids.

Mr. and Mrs. Simpson after their marriage spent six months at Sidney, Neb. with his parents. Coming back to Iowa in Sept. of 1915, engaging in farming in the Mechanicsville vicinity for eight years. Moving to Mechanicsville in March of 1923, where he was bookkeeper for John L. Lynch Ford Motor Co. Then moving to Cedar Rapids Sept. 1929, where he was bookkeeper for the Hudson Motor Co., moving to Anamosa in February of 1932. He was on the guard force at the Men's Reformatory until August of 1939, when he purchased The Pioneer Press, when he became publisher on Aug. 15, 1939. On July 1, 1940 he purchased the Stanwood Herald and consolidated the two papers. On July 1, 1944, Mr. Simpson purchased the Bennett Gazette. Mrs. Simpson will continue publishing the publications the same as in the past.

His survivors are his wife, Helen, his daughter, Louise, now Mrs. Max G. Wortman, three grandchildren, Warren, Beth Ellen and Jay David of Anamosa. Also he leaves four brothers, Frank of Rock Island, Ill.; Lloyd of DeGraff, Ohio; Arthur of Detroit, Mich.; and Melvin of Denver, Colo.; and a host of nieces and nephews, cousins and friends.

Funeral services were held on Friday, January 21, 1955, at the Methodist Church at 2:00 o'clock in Mechanicsville. Dr. C. F. Littell, pastor of the church, assisted by Rev. W. Tjaden, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, officiated.

John C. Butler, Past Master of the Patmos Lodge A.F. & A.M. Mechanicsville, delivered the Masonic service. The Masons attended in a body.

Robert Britcher sang "Nearer My God to Thee" and Mrs. R. J. Ward sang "Beautiful Isle of Somewhere". They were accompanied at the organ by Mrs. C. W. Norris.

Interment was in Riverside Cemetery at Anamosa, Iowa, next to his deceased daughter. Pallbearers were Clem Knebel, Frank Whitman and Ed Henkel all of Mechanicsville; Roy Flockhart, Carl Haesemeyer and L. W. Meyer all of Stanwood.