Mark Thomas Simpson
Harry Levitt passed along this from Mark’s daughter Kate Devaney:
Sad news here. Mark passed on the 29th. Doctor suspects a heart attack. Please feel free to share the news with anyone else.
We will be laying his ashes to rest at the Cape May County Veterans Cemetery hopefully within the week.
From Mark’s obituary:
Mark Simpson passed away at Crest Haven Nursing Home on November 29, 2023, at the age of 74. Mark was born in Philadelphia in 1949 to Jack and Joan Simpson. He graduated from Yale in 1971, where he studied the sciences. Mark served as an officer in the United States Navy, which sent him to the Mediterranean, a place that left a lasting impression on him. Mark then started a printing business, worked in newspaper distribution, and for a time owned a sporting goods store. Along with Greek food, Mark loved Ocean City, good books and science fiction movies, soccer, and of course, the Philadelphia Phillies.
Mark is predeceased by his parents and survived by his two sisters, daughter, and grandchildren. Mark is further survived by step-children, nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. Mark was laid to rest at the Cape May County Veterans’ Cemetery on Saturday, December 9th. Memorial donations may be made to your favorite veterans organization. Condolences may be offered at ingersollgreenwoodfh.com.
PHOTO courtesy of Glenn Tippy, includes (L-R) Bob Blaskiewicz, Handsome Dan, Mark, and Glenn at a recent reunion.
Glenn Tippy send this:
Here’s something Mark said in 2014 to a media interviewer [Rob Spahr of NJ Advance Media] at Memorial Day. Mark is referring (“these kids”) to a local high school group setting out fresh flags.:
“I come back every night during the weekend to pick up the flags that get knocked over by the wind or the rain,” Simpson said. “A lot of people don’t realize that each of these flags represents a life lost, and every year there are more flags out here. And if you add up all of the wars, they would probably each represent at least a thousand lives. We should never forget those who died for this country, and these kids do a great job here.”
Glenn Tippy writes:
Mark Simpson; classmate, Roommate, friend, worked hard, played hard, Rescue Swimmer off the coast of Vietnam, went bird watching with me at his beloved Jersey Shore, the only person I knew who would wear a Philadelphia Phillies hat to his college reunion… Went home this week; bless him.
Mark was kind enough to give me a lift back to Philly (our home turf) right around this time of year those many moons ago. Though I lost touch with him over the years, I was glad that — thanks to Harry Levitt — I was able to speak with Mark briefly by phone a year or two ago.
I’ll remember him always as a truly genuine and good person..