Obituary of Fern Simpson
Simpson: Marion Fern (nee Simpson) -
Peacefully, surrounded by her family, Fern passed away at Craigwiel Gardens, Ailsa Craig on Friday,
August 5, 2022, in her 105 th year.
Born in Howard Township, Fern was the beloved daughter of Willard and Janet (nee McLarty) Simpson.
Loving wife of 57 years to Rev. Alex J. Simpson (2004). Alex was from Toronto, Fern was from Ridgetown
and they met in Halifax.
Cherished mother of Alex C. Simpson (2015), Ian Simpson (Elaine), Adele McCallum (Robert) and Jane
Walker (Gary). Loving and proud grannie to Wayne McCallum (Darren), Ross McCallum (Catherine),
Karen McCallum-Ryan (Curtis), Jeffrey Walker (Anita), and Nathan Walker (Marie). Loving and proud gie
gie to Avery, Connor, and Jillian McCallum; Max and James Ryan; Ella, Jack, and Kylah Walker; Owen and
Caleb Walker.
Survived by her sister Ruth Campbell and brother Fred Simpson and by her sisters-in-law Ruth Simpson,
Donna Simpson and Helen (Simpson) Field.
Predeceased by her brothers Kelso, Max, Ray, Don, Russel, Doug, Ivan and Edward Simpson; sisters
Eileen Hayes, Adelaide Simpson and Beth Eskritt; and in-laws Grace, Marjorie, Adrian Hayes, Ruth, Mac
Campbell, Marjorie, Berniece and Bob Eskritt.
Fern will be fondly remembered by many nieces and nephews.
Family and friends will be received at the Funeral Home, 76 Main Street E, Ridgetown on Friday, August
12 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. A Funeral Service to celebrate Fern’s life will
be held in the Funeral Home on Saturday, August 13, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. Interment to follow at Trinity
Cemetery, Morpeth.
As an expression of sympathy, donations to the Heart and Stroke Foundation; Schizophrenia Society of
Canada; Building a New Craigholme Building Fund at Craigwiel Gardens; a Church or the charity of your
choice would be appreciated by the family.
Masks are not mandated, but if you prefer to wear one, please do so.
The Funeral Service will be Live Streamed, a link to view the live stream can be found below.
https://vimeo.com/event/2350545
Online condolences may be left at www.mckinlayfuneralhome.com
McKinlay Funeral Home
76 Main Street East, Ridgetown,
519-674-3141
A Snapshot of the Life of a Loving, Caring Woman
Marion Fern Simpson, born on October 26, 1917, was the second of 14 children of Willard and Janet
(McLarty) Simpson. She, just like her 9 brothers and 4 sisters (two babies died as infants), was born and
raised on the family farm in Howard Township in Kent County just south of Ridgetown, Ontario. They
were a loving, close-knit, hard-working family. Being one of the older children in a large and growing
family, she helped raise her younger brothers and sisters.
Fern attended the local one-room Green’s Public School S.S. #4 and then attended Ridgetown
Vocational School. At the age of 18, she left home to study nursing in nearby Chatham and Detroit,
Michigan. She graduated as a Registered Nurse from the Chatham Public General Hospital in 1939. Fern
then worked as a Private Duty Nurse close to home for the next year before venturing off to Toronto to
become a Parish Worker studying at The College of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) graduating
in 1942. Upon the death of her mother, Fern returned home to help care for the 7 younger siblings still
living at home. During the two years she was at home, she also did some Private Duty Nursing.
Fern’s next calling took her to Halifax, Nova Scotia where she was a Parish Worker for the North Street
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). While living in Halifax, she met and was courted by a Navy Sick Bay
Attendant by the name of Alexander James Simpson. Alex J. and Fern were married at the Church of
Christ in Ridgetown on September 13, 1946. Fern was born a Simpson and married a Simpson, so a
name change was not required.
Alex J. and Fern lived in Toronto for the next two years while Alex J. studied for the ministry at Knox
College. On June 20, 1947, Alexander C. was born and in mid-1948 the young family was off to Priceville,
Ontario for a summer placement at the Presbyterian Church. In September 1948, to enable Alex J. to
earn his Master of Divinity degree, they moved to Chicago, Illinois. After Alex J.’s graduation and the
return to Ontario in 1949, the family split their time between Fern’s family close to Ridgetown and Alex
J.’s family in Toronto.
From July 1949 to November 1950, Alex J. served at the Presbyterian Church in Cranbrook, Ontario
where the twins, Ian and Adele joined the family on October 13, 1949. The next move was to Teeswater,
Ontario where the youngest, Jane, was born on August 25, 1952.
In September 1954, Fern and the family packed up again and moved to Thamesville, Ontario followed by
another move to Fort Erie, Ontario in January 1959. As you can imagine, Fern was very involved in the
work of her husband in addition to raising her four busy, growing children. Alex J. was keenly interested
and involved in church camping and as a result from March 1962 to August 1965 served at church
camps, with Fern’s unfailing assistance, near Emlenton, Pennsylvania and Hebron, New York.
Upon returning to Canada, Alex J. was called to the Ailsa Craig Presbyterian Church. In 1967, Fern took a
Nursing Refresher Course at Victoria Hospital in London and then worked for a time at the previous
location of Craigholme Long Term Care Home. Alex J., with Fern by his side, retired from full-time
ministry in August 1980. Fern and Alex J. then spent the next 23 years living in the winterized family
cottage on Lake Erie close to Fern’s Ridgetown home.
In July 2003 Fern and Alex J. moved back to Ailsa Craig to be closer to family. Sadly, in March 2004, after
57 years of loving companionship, Alex J. passed away in his 93 rd year. In April 2015, son Alex passed
away. For a few years, Fern lived in a single-family home on Craig Street and then Craigwiel Gardens
Apartments both in Ailsa Craig, Seasons Retirement Community in Strathroy, Sprucedale Care Centre in
Strathroy and Craigwiel Gardens in Ailsa Craig. Fern especially enjoyed living at Craigwiel Gardens where
she received the exceptional care she gave so freely during her life.
Fern, during her lifetime, had cared for, loved and been loved by her 11 siblings and their spouses; more
than 400 nieces/nephews and spouses/partners (over 4 generations); 4 children and spouses; 5
grandchildren and spouses/partners; 10 great-grandchildren; and numerous friends in the twenty-six
places she had called home.