Lois Lee Simpson
May 9, 1932
April 2, 2023
Funeral Service
Wednesday, April 5, 2023
2:00 PM
Beulaville Presbyterian Church
with visitation 1 hour before service
Interment
Lanier - Thigpen Cemetery, Beulaville
Beulaville, NC
One of the hardest working and cleanest mechanics around has finally put away his tools and is taking his well-deserved rest. Lois Lee Simpson passed away peacefully on Sunday evening, April 2, 2023, surrounded by family. He was just a bit more than a month shy of his 91st birthday.
Lois was married to his wife Peggy for almost 65 years, before she passed away in 2019.
“We had almost 65 good years, and I don’t have any regrets,” he often said of his life with Peggy. “I don’t remember any bad ones.”
Together he and Peggy raised two boys, had a humble, but well cared for home and land in Beulaville, and a successful automotive shop in town. They loved their family, their church and their multitudes of friends. Travel was one of Lois’ favorite things. He enjoyed camping for as long as the boys would put up with it, and put many thousands of miles on their vehicles on trips that took them across the United States and into Canada. They visited all but two states in their travels – North Dakota and Hawaii. A cruise to Alaska was one of the few times he ever agreed to fly anywhere. He always said you missed seeing too much countryside when you fly over it.
After Peggy’s death, he mourned her loss, but found time to enjoy life as much as his body would allow him. In his later years, he enjoyed sitting in the sunshine with his beloved dog Mollie, reading large print books from the library, visiting with friends when they would stop by, and eating a good pepperoni pizza from Pizza Village. And a hot cup of coffee. Really hot. And mowing his grass. So much mowing.
After breaking a hip in February 2022, life was never quite the same for him. He despised losing his independence, and still wanted to do as much for himself as he could.
“I don’t want to give up on doing anything,” he said numerous times.
Diminished vision was a constant source of irritation for him. Lois was born with a hereditary condition called retinitis pigmentosa, and it eventually took away his ability to see much more than the differences between light and dark. Still, he drove himself for as long as he could. His sons knew it was unsafe, but they never had the guts to take his keys away. They did a lot of praying and checking in whenever he would drive.
“Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost, but now I’m found
Was blind, but now I see”
Lois can now see, and he can move around without stumbling or any need of a walker, which he refused to use anyway. He and Peggy are together again. For both of these things, and for many years of precious memories, his family now rejoices.
Lois is survived by his son Jeff Simpson and wife, Donna, of Shallotte, NC; son Curt Simpson and wife, Vera, of Wallace, NC; grandchildren Meghan Simpson, Josh Smith, Madelyn Coombs and Robert Coombs; his brother Harold Simpson of Rose Hill; his brother Lenwood Simpson and wife, Elaine, of Greenville, NC; and numerous nieces and nephews. Special mention must be made of neighbor Becky Williams, whose loving care allowed him to stay at home for nearly seven additional months after he broke his hip.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Beulaville Presbyterian Church, 205 E. Main St., Beulaville NC 28518, or to the ECU Health Duplin General Hospital Foundation, PO Box 278, Kenansville, NC 28349.
