Rev. William R. "Bill" Simpson's Obituary
William Richard Simpson, 95, of Midland, Texas, was welcomed into the loving arms of his Lord on October 28, 2019. Known as “William” to his family, “Richard” to his late wife Dorothy and her family, “Dad” or “Daddy” to his daughters, “Brother Bill” or “Suitcase” to his fellow preachers and friends, he is “Papaw Buddy” to his many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
He was born September 22, 1924 to the late Harvey and Ruth Simpson, the eldest of six children in a family of rice farmers. Raised in DeWitt, Arkansas County, he joined the Navy Air Force at the age of 18 and proudly served his country during World War II as an Aviation Radioman Second Class and Gunner/ Radar Operator on a patrol bomber seaplane known as a PBY. He wed his high school sweetheart, Dorothy Elizabeth Henderson, and after the War ended they began raising their family, of whom he was immensely proud.
He farmed his family’s lands until answering the Lord’s call to preach in the summer of 1955. It was while earning his degree in Bible Languages from the Missionary Baptist Seminary in Little Rock, Arkansas that he gained the nickname “Suitcase Simpson” for the oversized briefcase in which he carried his textbooks. He pastored several churches in Arkansas prior to becoming an “Interstate Missionary” with the American Baptist Association and moving his family to West Texas, which Dorothy immediately dubbed “the foreign mission field”. In Midland, he was the founding Pastor of Oaklawn Park Missionary Baptist Church and, later, Tall City Missionary Baptist Church, and President of the West Texas Baptist Institute for more than 20 years, where he was also an instructor. He was a proud member of the Midland Downtown Lions Club for decades and served in various positions, including President and Chaplain. He loved telling folks he was the only “Lion” Baptist preacher in Midland. He was a substitute school teacher who was actually loved by his students, a member of Hearts Alive, a former Chaplain for the Midland Police Department, and an avid fan of the University of Arkansas Razorbacks.
He is preceded in death by Dorothy, his wife of 29 years, his parents, siblings Garland, Bobby Joe, and Mary Kathryn Ruffin, and grandson Adam Nelson. He is survived by brother Donal Simpson and sister Margorie Kraft, daughters Sandra (Joe) Boone, Sharon (Leon) Webb, Nancy (Michael) Warren and Nila Nelson; grandchildren Todd (Lianne) Boone, Trevor (Holly) Boone, Melissa (John) Guerra, Mande (Curtis) Brightwell, Tracy (Joe) Avila, Gina (James) Whitten, Chad (Mary) Warren, and Brian DeLaGarza; great-grandchildren Garett Boone, Avery Boone, Elliot Boone, Tyler (Evelyn) Boone, Lacey (Jacob) Pepper, Kimberly (Mike) Cashman, Ryan Thomas, Sterling (Quinton) Allen, Jordan (Charis) Brightwell, Ryan (Brittany) Brightwell, Abby (Peter) Houser, Samuel Brightwell, Dylan Builta, Lance Builta, and Macey Builta; and great-great-grandchildren Phoenix, Carson, and Briar Rose Boone, Jesse, Liam, River and Violet Pepper, Wyatt and Blaike Joubert, Kennadee Thomas, Trent Allen, Brandon, Bailey, Brianna, and Brody Gallion, Trinity and Jean Warren, Rivers and Juniper Brightwell, Beckham Brightwell, Lily Houser, and numerous beloved nephews and nieces.
A celebration of this dedicated life that touched so many will be held on Saturday, November 2 at 1:00 p.m. at Longview Missionary Baptist Church, located at 800 E Loop 281 in Longview. Another service will be held Tuesday, November 5 at 12:00 noon at Tall City Missionary Baptist Church, located at 3500 Anetta Drive in Midland, followed by interment next to his beloved Dorothy at Resthaven North Memorial Park in Midland.
Because of his immense sense of patriotism for his Country, and his joy in spreading the Gospel of Christ being the center of everything he did, in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Folds of Honor, the Texas Baptist Institute in Henderson, Texas or the Missionary Baptist Seminary in Little Rock, Arkansas.
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