Pearl Simpson (1924-2007)

SIMPSON, THORSON, NIBE

Posted By: Mark Christian
Date: 2/3/2008 at 11:39:40

THE STORY CITY HERALD, Story City, Story County, Iowa, Wednesday, January 31, 2007.

Pearl Simpson, 83, of Clarion passed away Thursday, Jan. 25, 2007 at Wright Medical Center in Clarion after a brief illness.

Funeral services were held Monday, Jan. 29, 2007 at 11:00 a.m. at the United Methodist Church in Clarion with Pastor Don Morrison officiating. Burial was in Evergreen Cemetery in Clarion.

Visitation was held Sunday, Jan. 28 from 5 - 7 p.m. at Ewing Dugger Helgeson Funeral Horne in Clarion and one hour prior to services.

Pearl was born Jan. 17, 1924 to Peter and Anna (Nibe) Thorson at their family farm near Randall. She attended country school and graduated from Zearing High School in May 1941 as the Class salutatorian.

Pearl was the first one in her family to attend college, due to the kindness and generosity of her pastor. He financed her education at Western Union College by motivating generous farmers in her church to invest in her. Their efforts paid off when she graduated in 1943 with her teacher's certificate and returned to Randall to teach. During the next five years she enjoyed her 5th and 6th graders and coaching the girl's basketball team. After a brief stint as a junior high teacher in Grand Junction she returned to Randall where she met Richard Simpson, the new teacher and principal at the school. They were married on June 4, 1950 and had two sons, Loren and David before moving to Clarion in 1955.

Pearl was a fulltime morn while the boys grew up, acting as den mother and cheerleading her boys in their athletic and music events. Later she substitute taught at Clarion schools for many years until becoming the United Methodist Church secretary in 1973, a post she held for 10 years until her retirement.

She loved Jesus all her life and was an active leader in the Clarion Methodist Church and United Methodist Wornen's group. She held various offices at the local district and state level where she met many wonderful friends.

She enjoyed reading, teaching Sunday school, and collecting things. She filled her life in later years with poetry, angel figurines, toothpick holders, teaspoons, and articles clipped from area papers. Her friends and loved ones were her number one priority and she made-it her business to keep up with everyone she met since her college days and acting as unofficial greeter at church. She was an encourager and enjoyed cheering for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren in her later years.

Pearl is survived by her two sons, Loren of Rock Island, Illinois and David of Fort Worth, Texas; seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Richard; and five brothers.