Richard Howard Simpson's Obituary
Richard Howard “Bucky” Simpson of Concord passed away peacefully on June 24, 2015, surrounded by his loving family, at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte. Born July 31, 1942, he was the son of the late Cora Taylor Simpson and Lester H. Simpson of Concord. A lifelong native of Concord, Bucky graduated from Concord High School, where he was a standout athlete in football and baseball.
He is survived by his wife, Susan Phillips Simpson of Concord; two sons, Chad D. Simpson of Concord and Phillip A. Simpson and wife, Jane Blackley Simpson, of Harrisburg; and his number one grandson, Garrett Parker Simpson, whom he loved dearly. He is also survived by his sister, Priscilla Simpson Newton and husband, Pete, of Concord. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, Ronnie M. Simpson.
His nephews and nieces include Kenny Simpson, Lisa Faine, and Crystal Starnes Maxwell, along with many cousins and hundreds of kids in Cabarrus County that he mentored and called his own. Pallbearers and Honor Guards will be provided by the Concord Police Dept.
A service to celebrate the life of Bucky Simpson will be held at Westford United Methodist Church, 273 Highway 49 South, Concord, NC on Saturday, June 27th with visitation from 11:00 am to 1:30 pm and a memorial service to follow at 2:00 pm with the Rev. Jeff Rushing officiating.
Bucky was always smiling and loved life. He loved the great outdoors, and spent many hours camping in the mountains with his family, friends and his beloved dog Lilly. He will long be remembered as a dedicated public servant in his career and his community. He was an Army Vietnam Veteran and was presented with many awards including the distinguished Purple Heart and Bronze Star. He served as a Sergeant with the Concord Police Department for 30 years, working as the juvenile officer for 17 of those years, and also helped to implement the DARE Program in Cabarrus County, which impacted many young lives. Bucky supervised the hiring of school crossing guards who were known as “Bucky’s Angels”. He patiently taught hundreds of kids at Camp Spencer in Bike Safety and BB Gun Safety Training. Faithfully, he served on the Board of Directors at the Boys and Girls Club for many years, where his passion for working with kids was evident, as he won the Boys and Girls Club “Father of the Year Award”. Some of his other accomplishments were Key Stone Advisor, Youth League coach for Concord High girls softball team and Pop Warner Football and Grand Marshall of the Concord Christmas Parade. One of his proudest moments was in 1994 when he received the state of North Carolina Officers’ Association “Most Outstanding Juvenile Officer” award (L.T. Williams Award).
Though he received many awards and accolades, his greatest reward was impacting the lives of many young citizens of this community. In his ability to relate to young people, he taught a healthy respect for law and order in a firm and understanding way. Bucky was a devoted public servant who truly made our world and community a better place.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be sent to the Boys and Girls Club of Cabarrus County, a cause that was dear to Bucky’s heart. (PO Box 1405, Concord, NC 28026).
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