John Bonwell Simpson of Colfax, Washington passed peacefully on September 26, 2016 at the age of 87 with his wife & family at his side.
Born August 15, 1929 to Allen & Gertrude (Morrison) Simpson in Vancouver, Washington, his family moved to a farm near Endicott that they referred to as the Flat, where they lived in a Cook House until they moved to the family farm along the banks of Rock Lake near Pine City.
John attended school in Pine City where he played football, baseball, and where he developed his love for basketball & was the Valedictorian of his class. He attended college at Eastern in Cheney and Washington State in Pullman as well as serving his country in the Army.
He married Joyce (Jeffcoat) in 1967 & with their blended family moved across the country to earn his PhD in Agricultural Engineering at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. They returned to the Palouse area where he taught at WSU, combining the things he loved; farming, teaching, family & playing basketball. He played ball in the WSU school gym with students & faculty members several times a week until his retirement, always trying to perfect his favorite move, the Hook Shot.
Their blended family includes Gayle Simpson, Cheryl (Rick) Baker, Joni (Ben) Johnson, Sharron (Ron) Davis, Janet (Gary) Kussler, Archie "Budd" Catron, Rick Simpson, & Carolyn (Greg) Struble. Their grandchildren are David King, (Nicole (Todd) Halbert, Brigette (Jake) Moody, John David Ivey, Ryan Davis, Kyle (Ashley) Davis, Cody Davis, Kelsey Davis, Justin Catron, Veronica Struble, Naomi Struble & 12 great grandchildren.
John is survived by his wife, Joyce, his siblings Mary (Bob) Rickel, Margaret (Jerry) Smith, & Tom (Letia) Simpson. He is preceded in death by his parents, daughter Gayle, son Rick, grandson David & siblings Robert, Francis & Theodore.
In lieu of flowers or gifts, the family asks that donations be sent to Whitman Health & Rehabilitation or to the Perpetual Education Fund of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
Services will be held at 11am on Monday, October 3rd at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Colfax. Graveside Services will follow at the Pine City Cemetery & a Reception at the Pine City Grange Hall.