James Frederick Simpson

James Simpson, music educator, vocal teacher and performer, passed away on Tuesday, March 4, 2008. Mr. Simpson was 90 years old. He and his wife, Mary, have one son, John Simpson, and one daughter, Laura S. Dozier. He has three granddaughters, Rebecca Simpson, Margaret Dozier and Virginia Dozier.

Mr. Simpson was born in Spencer, Iowa on Oct. 28, 1917. His family moved from Iowa to California when he and his three brothers were young boys. After graduation from high school, Mr. Simpson joined the Army Air Corps (Air Force) and served as a navigator/bombardier fighting the Japanese Imperial Forces in the South Pacific. Mr. Simpson and his team completed 46 combat missions. Following his discharge from the service, he returned to California and enrolled in and graduated from the University of Southern California with a Masters of Music degree. While there in Los Angeles, he met Mary Hempleman. They were married in 1948.

Mr. Simpson's professional career began at Brenau College in Gainesville, Ga., where he taught vocal music. After Brenau, the couple fulfilled academic positions at East Carolina University in North Carolina and Illinois Wesleyan University and Rich High School in Park Forest, Ill. During these years, they raised two children.

In 1962 the family moved to Gaffney when Mr. Simpson was offered the position of Chairman of the Department of Music at Limestone College. Mr. Simpson served a year as the Director of Music Education for the State of South Carolina. During his 45 years in Gaffney, he participated in theater and the arts locally as well as in the Spartanburg and Greenville areas. He sang in and directed the Spartanburg SPEBSQSA barbershop chorus, he actively participated in community civic organizations and he sang in the choir at the Limestone Presbyterian Church.

There will be a service at Limestone Presbyterian Church on South Limestone Street at 2 p.m on Saturday, March 8, 2008. The family will receive visitors at 1 p.m. in the parlor at the church. His ashes will be placed in the columbarium.

Memorial gifts may be made to the Limestone Presbyterian Church Music Fund or the Professor Mary Simpson Music Scholarship Fund at Limestone College Music Department.

Blakely Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.