On Sunday, July 28, 2019, Ivy Irl Simpson Jr. passed away at age 94 in Vero Beach, Florida. He was born October 20, 1924, in Mt. Carmel, Illinois to parents Ivy Irl Simpson Sr. and Vera Irene (Storkman) Simpson.
He graduated from Mt. Carmel High School in 1942 and later that year enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps. First Lieutenant Simpson was a navigator with the B-17 Flying Fortress unit during World War II, where he served at Normandy, North France, and Rhineland. Honors he received for his service included the Distinguished Flying Cross medal and the Oak Leaf Cluster medal for meritorious achievement. After his discharge in 1945, he graduated with a BS in Business from Indiana University (1948) and moved to Evansville, Indiana where he became a practicing Certified Public Accountant.
Irl married his first wife, Jo-Ann Young, in Mt. Carmel in 1948. To this union were born his son Reed and daughters Christie and Darlene. Irl was the project manager for the first covered shopping mall in Indiana, Evansville’s Washington Square Mall, which opened in 1963. He also managed several clubs and restaurants in Evansville including The Flame Lounge and the Coachman.
He married his second wife, Wanda Lee Russ, in 1971 and they had one son, Kurt. Later in life, he retired from Accounting and found a love for working with his hands. He worked for years in Evansville and Mt. Carmel as an independent contractor, specializing in stonework and siding. Irl is a former member and Treasurer of the Evansville Eagles Aerie 427.
He was a lifelong fan of Indiana University Basketball, enjoyed grilling, gardening, and spending time with friends and family. Irl moved to Florida in 2000, spending his final years at Palm Garden of Vero Beach.
Preceding him in death were his parents, Ivy and Vera; wives, Jo-Ann and Wanda; daughters, Christie (Meier) Greene, Darlene Kay (Coleman, Whitaker) Austin; grandbaby, Russell Whitaker; brother, Sherman E. Simpson, and sister Charlotte J. (Simpson) Lorey.
Surviving are his sons, Reed E. Simpson, M.D., of St. Louis, MO and Kurt E. Simpson of Evansville, IN; sister, Patricia Leeds of Mt. Carmel, IL, and grandchildren Allyson and Kamryn Simpson, Lisa, Jody and Terry Jr. Meier, Bry Coleman, Christopher Austin, and Nina Stevenson. He is also survived by numerous great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.
A Memorial Service will be 11:00 a.m., Saturday, August 24, 2019, at Alexander North Chapel, 4200 Stringtown Road, officiated by Rev. Brian Bushkill. Friends may visit Saturday from 9:00 a.m. until service time at the funeral home.
Condolences may be offered at www.AlexanderNorthChapel.com.
