Obituary: Venice West Simpson

Venice West Simpson 4/18/1910 ~ 3/19/2005 Venice West Simpson, born in Venice, California, April 18, 1910, died March 19, 2005 in Orem, Utah of causes incident to congestive heart failure one month short of her 95th birthday. She married Charles Jerry Simpson on August 1, 1932, later solemnized in the Oakland Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Jerry Simpson died September 14, 1968. Venice and her siblings were the children of Joseph A. West, longtime bishop of Adams Ward in Los Angeles, and Lois Hunt West. Venice outlived all her siblings, Mary West Tanner, Regina West, Jack West (Lerona), Edna West Sant (Merlin), and Lois West Paulos (Ted), leaving behind only one brother-in-law, Merlin Sant, age 100, of Laguna Woods, California. Venice met her future husband at a church dance in Los Angeles, and she and Jerry graduated from rival high schools. Later both found their way to the San Francisco Bay Area, where they attended rival universities. Venice graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in philosophy; Jerry from Stanford in economics. They lived in the San Francisco Bay Area after their marriage, moving to Seattle, where their two sons were born. Then followed a few years in Glendora, California, where Venice served as PTA president for all the schools in the local district. Next Jerry's employment took them to Palo Alto, California, from which Jerry commuted to work in San Francisco. After a couple of years working in the office of the Stanford Press, Venice joined Jerry's labor relations office team. The two commuted together for over 10 years, moving into their San Francisco apartment in 1967 as Jerry's health began to weaken. In Palo Alto Venice served her church as ward young women's president and as a counselor in the primary organization of the Palo Alto Stake. In San Francisco, after the death of her husband, Venice became active in the Bay Area LDS singles' organization. In her Bay Ward in San Francisco, where many LDS singles tended to transition in to the city, Venice served effectively and passionately as the ward employment specialist, not being released until the age of 82. Venice always loved living in the Bay Area, taking advantage of arts and cultural opportunities, relishing the city's varied culinary offerings, and becoming an expert on both the well-known and little-known visual attractions of the area. In the fall of 2002, by now in declining health, Venice moved to the Cove Point retirement community in Provo. Venice is survived by her sons Ron Simpson (Maisa) of Orem and Richard Simpson (Deborah) of Olean, New York; grandchildren Kristen Evans (Mark) of Arlington, Virginia; Kim Simpson (Amy) of Austin, Texas; Kendall Simpson (Erlynne) of North Ogden, Utah; Erik Simpson (Carolyn) of Grinnell, Iowa; and Thomas Simpson (Alex) of Atlanta, Georgia. She also has 10 great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be held Monday, March 28, 2005 at 11 a.m. in the Berg Mortuary Drawing Room Chapel, 185 E. Center Street, Provo, Utah. Friends and family may also call at Berg Mortuary Sunday evening, March 27, from 6-8 p.m. as well as Monday morning, one hour prior to services. Interment will be at Mt. Tamalpais Cemetery, San Rafael, California. Condolences may be sent to www.BergMortuary.com. Venice found the upside in every one of life's situations. For example she spotted a striking photo by John Snyder showing Provo, taken at sunrise from the mountains above BYU and looking south toward Mt. Nebo. "If I can't live in San Francisco," she commented while asking her son to frame the photo, "I'd better start loving the place where I live."