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Jeannette Simpson

Marion Jeannette Simpson, 76, of Millersville, died of heart failure Feb. 4 at North Arundel Hospital after surgery six weeks ago.

The daughter of the late John M. and Marion Collier O'Hara, Mrs. Simpson was born in Winchester, Mass., on Nov. 18, 1928, the birthday she proudly shared with Mickey Mouse. She graduated from Presentation Academy in Brighton, Mass., and Boston Teachers' College in 1950 with a bachelor of science degree in early childhood education.

She taught in the Boston area and in Laconia and finally Portsmouth, N.H., where she was a kindergarten teacher for 20 years at Pease Air Force Base.

She also was a handwriting supervisor for Reinhart Writing Method throughout New England.

She and her husband, Ronald E. Simpson lived in Portsmouth and Freedom, N.H., until 1979 when they retired and divided their time between Freedom and Barefoot Bay, Fla., where they were active with the New England Club and golf leagues. They belonged to the Portsmouth Country Club and participated in Elks Club activities at local and national levels.

After Mr. Simpson died in 1995, she moved to Millersville to live with her daughter about five years ago.

Among her interests were golf, travel and dancing, which she formerly taught for an Arthur Murray Dance Studio. She also was a member of Alpha Delta Kappa teachers' sorority and the Emblem Club of New Hampshire.

Surviving are her daughter and son-in-law, Sheila Simpson and Lawrence J. Rabaglia of Millersville; a stepdaughter, Janet I. Jones of Portsmouth; a brother, David A. O'Hara of Brighton and Winter Haven, Fla.; a sister, Ethel "Babe" O'Neil of Laconia and Winter Haven; three grandchildren.; two step-grandchildren; and five step-great-grandchildren.

Visitation is from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. tomorrow at Barranco and Sons Severna Park Funeral Home, 495 Ritchie Highway. A funeral Mass will be said at 10 a.m. Thursday at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, Cypress Creek Road and Ritchie Highway, Severna Park. Burial will be in Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Portsmouth at a later date.

As Published in "The Capital Newspaper" Annapolis Md. 2/8/2005