Obituary for Philip Alexander Simpson
Philip Alexander Simpson, beloved brother to sisters Diane and Karen, passed away suddenly on January 12, 2023.
Philip was born January 5, 1956 in Ft. Lee, Virginia, the son of Paul Alexander Simpson and Dorothy Lucile (Koch) Simpson. With a career Army officer for a father, he grew up an Army brat and citizen of the world, living in Virginia, Michigan, Alabama, and Illinois in the states and in Germany, Korea, and Japan.
He graduated from the University of Michigan with degrees in mechanical and nuclear engineering, following which he worked as a senior nuclear engineer for the University of Michigan at its Ford Nuclear Reactor, a training and research reactor dedicated to investigating the peaceful use of nuclear power. He retired from the university as the reactor's assistant manager following the completion of the reactor's decommissioning.
Phil was an adventurous soul, climbing and spending the night atop Mt. Fuji; trying out parachuting; earning his license to pilot small planes with the University of Michigan Flyers club out of Willow Run Airport; scuba diving in the Caribbean, Mexico, and Hawaii; and biking in the Swiss alps. He loved to travel and particularly enjoyed traveling by train through Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. He spent many hours building a model train layout inspired by his trips to Switzerland.
Phil was civic minded and, after retirement, volunteered to work the Ann Arbor polls on election days and served as an election inspector. He was a regular blood donor to the American Red Cross and, upon his death, was a tissue donor to the Gift of Life program. He also enjoyed spending time with the stray cats who took up residence in his backyard and followed him around. He was an animal lover who took the strays to the Humane Society to be neutered and get their shots, then fed and housed them in little outdoor heated houses in the winter
Phil was an avid Michigan Wolverines sports fan, attending numerous basketball, football, hockey, and baseball games. He played baseball as a shortstop in a local league until his knees could no longer take it. In recent years he has been enjoying golfing in a local league and spending time with friends at Fraser's Pub for Friday night card games and watching televised sporting events. He was compassionate and caring and had a wonderful sense of humor. He was also a fabulous cook, though he liked to sneak hot sauce into unexpected dishes.
Phil was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his sisters, Diane Simpson and Karen (Simpson) Bever; his nephew, Jeffrey Bever; his niece, Cynthia (Bever) Espinosa and her husband, Adam Espinosa; and their three children, Adam, Jr., Isabella, and Gabriella Espinosa. He was the very best brother his sisters could ever have and will be greatly missed.
Fraser's Pub is holding a memorial bicycle breakfast for Phil on January 28, 2023 from 9am to 12pm. Fraser's is donating all proceeds from the breakfast to Common Cycle, a nonprofit that provides free bikes to kids in and around Ann Arbor who cannot afford them. Memorial contributions in Phil's name can be made to Common Cycle at https://commoncycle.org/
Philip was born January 5, 1956 in Ft. Lee, Virginia, the son of Paul Alexander Simpson and Dorothy Lucile (Koch) Simpson. With a career Army officer for a father, he grew up an Army brat and citizen of the world, living in Virginia, Michigan, Alabama, and Illinois in the states and in Germany, Korea, and Japan.
He graduated from the University of Michigan with degrees in mechanical and nuclear engineering, following which he worked as a senior nuclear engineer for the University of Michigan at its Ford Nuclear Reactor, a training and research reactor dedicated to investigating the peaceful use of nuclear power. He retired from the university as the reactor's assistant manager following the completion of the reactor's decommissioning.
Phil was an adventurous soul, climbing and spending the night atop Mt. Fuji; trying out parachuting; earning his license to pilot small planes with the University of Michigan Flyers club out of Willow Run Airport; scuba diving in the Caribbean, Mexico, and Hawaii; and biking in the Swiss alps. He loved to travel and particularly enjoyed traveling by train through Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. He spent many hours building a model train layout inspired by his trips to Switzerland.
Phil was civic minded and, after retirement, volunteered to work the Ann Arbor polls on election days and served as an election inspector. He was a regular blood donor to the American Red Cross and, upon his death, was a tissue donor to the Gift of Life program. He also enjoyed spending time with the stray cats who took up residence in his backyard and followed him around. He was an animal lover who took the strays to the Humane Society to be neutered and get their shots, then fed and housed them in little outdoor heated houses in the winter
Phil was an avid Michigan Wolverines sports fan, attending numerous basketball, football, hockey, and baseball games. He played baseball as a shortstop in a local league until his knees could no longer take it. In recent years he has been enjoying golfing in a local league and spending time with friends at Fraser's Pub for Friday night card games and watching televised sporting events. He was compassionate and caring and had a wonderful sense of humor. He was also a fabulous cook, though he liked to sneak hot sauce into unexpected dishes.
Phil was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his sisters, Diane Simpson and Karen (Simpson) Bever; his nephew, Jeffrey Bever; his niece, Cynthia (Bever) Espinosa and her husband, Adam Espinosa; and their three children, Adam, Jr., Isabella, and Gabriella Espinosa. He was the very best brother his sisters could ever have and will be greatly missed.
Fraser's Pub is holding a memorial bicycle breakfast for Phil on January 28, 2023 from 9am to 12pm. Fraser's is donating all proceeds from the breakfast to Common Cycle, a nonprofit that provides free bikes to kids in and around Ann Arbor who cannot afford them. Memorial contributions in Phil's name can be made to Common Cycle at https://commoncycle.org/