Pearl (Thorson) SIMPSON

SIMPSON, THORSON, NIBE

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 2/1/2007 at 22:56:28

Wright County Monitor
1 February 2007

Pearl Simpson, 83, of Clarion passed away Thursday, January 25, 2007 at Wright Medical Center in Clarion after a brief illness. Funeral services for Pearl Simpson were held Monday, January 29th at the United Methodist Church in Clarion. Pastor Don Morrison officiated the 11 a.m. service. Burial was held at the Evergreen Cemetery, Clarion.

Pearl Thorson was born January 17, 1924, the daughter of Peter and Anna (Nibe) Thorson at the 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 education. 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 & 6th graders and coaching the girls' 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 full-time mom while the boys were growing 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 Women'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. 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.