Edgar (Ed) Lee Simpson Jr.'s Obituary
Edgar Lee Simpson Jr. (Ed), 83
Ed died June 9, 2023, with his family by his side in Germantown, TN.
Visitation will be held on Thursday, June 15th from 5-7pm at Memorial Park Funeral Home and Cemetery with a brief graveside service on Friday, June 16th at 10am.
Ed was born January 31, 1940, in Lambert, Mississippi, to Edgar Sr. and Hazel Simpson. His father was an educator, the superintendent of education in Sallis, Mississippi, and his mother was a teacher. Ed had a younger brother John. When Ed was 4 his mother died, and he and John went to live with relatives. In 1947 his father married Alice Davis, a registered nurse, and Ed was reunited with his brother, father and new mom. The Simpson family took up residence in Vicksburg where Edgar Sr. took a manager position with state unemployment office. Ed and John attended Vicksburg High School.
Ed spent his childhood living in Mississippi cities, including Ripley, Pascagoula and Vicksburg and had two joys. First, he loved his time outdoors in the woods, lakes and streams; and second, Ed was proud of his time on the Vicksburg High School football team. An avid outdoorsman, all of Ed’s life he enjoyed the quiet stillness of the forest and the joys of hunting, fishing and boating. He was an excellent marksman who relished the time spent with his high school buddies: Larry Cook, Leland and Johnny Ferguson, Charles Smollen, and Bret Fenwick. As much as he loved the outdoors, Ed loved all parts of the game of football with a passion. He earned a starting position at right defensive tackle for most games he played for the Vicksburg High “Greenies.” Ed was one of the first players to wear a face guard to protect his glasses, a distinction that earned him the nickname Radar.
Ed attended Mississippi State and majored in sociology. Although to hear him tell it, he primarily majored in his fraternity, Kappa Sigma, and his future wife. In college he met the one true love of his life, Mary Elizabeth (Betsy) Pylate. Ed and Betsy got married after graduation and moved to Nashville. While Betsy completed her master’s degree, Ed was employed as a social worker. In 1966, the happy couple moved to Memphis where Ed continued his career as a social worker.
In 1967 their first child Randy was born, and Ed switched careers to banking. Jennifer joined them in 1970.
Ed’s banking career was one of the most rewarding times of his life. He worked smart and the inevitable business downturns never slowed him down for long. Over his 40-year career, he led the commercial loan teams at First Tennessee, Bank of New England ‘81, Bank of Canada ‘92 and Bank of Scotland ‘02. Many businesses and business leaders in the Mid-South called him partner, mentor, and friend.
In 2007 Ed retired, hung up his banker’s pinstripe suit and returned to the woods and lakes. Spending most of his time in Heber Springs, Arkansas, the outings on the lake with family and friends were some of the happiest times of his life. But as his grandchildren became more active, Ed would return to his Germantown home on the weekends, so he could attend every performance, sport, event and endeavor his four grandchildren could possibly participate in.
His last few years, even as his mobility left him, he could be found caring for Betsy daily and assisting her as she fought cancer. She continued to be his passionate pursuit, and now he has gone to join her. Always capable of providing astute advice and support, his family and friends will miss his stories, strength, wisdom, and humor.
Preceded in death by his parents and his wife just two weeks prior, Edgar Lee Simpson Jr. leaves behind his brother, John Simpson (Mary Jane); his two children, Randy Simpson (Tona) and Jennifer Young; and his grandchildren, Cydnee Young Brown (Parker), Kaitlin Raye Simpson, Jackson Simpson and Camille Young.
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