Steven A. "George" Simpson Obituary (1958 - 2014)

Steven A. "George" Simpson, 55, of Hudson passed away at 3:11p.m. on Saturday, July 12 2014 at Advocate BroMenn Medical Center, Normal. A memorial visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, (7/17/2014) at Carmody-Flynn Williamsburg Funeral Home, Bloomington. A Celebration of Life "Potluck" event will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday (7/18/2014) at the Towanda Legion Hall, Towanda, IL, just bring a dish to pass and your favorite memories of Steve.Cremation rites have been accorded. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Humane Society of Central Illinois, Normal or towards the Steven A. Simpson Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o Illini Bank, 103 E. Franklin St, Hudson, IL 61748. The son of Henry and Joyce Martin Simpson, Steven was born August 23, 1958 in Bloomington and raised in Hudson. He graduated from Normal Community High School in 1976 and Lincoln Technical Institute of Indianapolis, IN in 1977. He married Mary F. Stokes on October 4, 1980 at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Bloomington. Celebrating his legacy are his wife, Mary Simpson of Hudson; children, Corey (Sarah) Simpson, Rosenburg, TX, Katie (Matthew Tomlin) Simpson, Hudson; mother, Joyce Simpson, Hudson; sister, Connie (Steve) Garner, Cooksville; nephew, Jeff (Shawn Garth) Pisell, Lexington; niece, Jeana (Steve Follick) Pisell, Cooksville; grandfather, Philip Martin, Bloomington; uncle, Harold (Kay) Martin, McLean and mother-in-law, Elsie Stokes, Normal. He was preceded in death by his father, Henry Simpson; paternal grandparents, Loyd and Mary Belle Simpson; maternal grandmother, Esther Martin; father-in-law, John Stokes and several aunts and uncles. Steven was an avid and compassionate lover of animals and throughout his life enjoyed the company of many four-legged companions revered as family. Surviving "muts" are Mollie, Zoey, Eli, Henry and Marge. He was preceded in death by Pepper, Mandy, Millie and Vegas.Over the years, Steven was employed as a mechanic, working for Stahly Trucking, Nussbaum Trucking, Jones International and for the last 21 years at McLean County Unit 5 School District Department of Transportation. Steven began exploring his natural mechanical gift by disassembling and reassembling his toys at age 3, improving his skillset over the years to include assembling and completely rebuilding engines. Highly-regarded for his master craftsmanship and vast knowledge of all things technical, he could dismantle, rebuild and create anything. Steven was a talented inventor sharing his creations with others. With his appreciation for science he was a proud organ donor to the Gift of Hope organization. Known for his ingenuity, resourcefulness and sincere honesty, he was a humble and straightforward individual. Appreciated for his candor and empathy, he would always respectfully speak his mind. Steve had many hobbies including tinkering, gardening, photography, scuba diving and motorcycle riding. He was a jokester and prankster. He enjoyed many years watching his children play soccer, spending time with his family, pets and friends. He was very proud of his family and especially of his childrens talents and accomplishments. He touched an unimaginable network of hearts and minds with his kindness, intelligence and thoughtful actions. Steves family would like to extend their gratitude to the staff of Advocate BroMenn Medical Center and a heartfelt thank you to the Cardiovascular Care Unit, as well as a large supporting community of family, friends, coworkers and neighbors. The care, attention and endless support that the family received from the Unit 5 "team" during Steves illness will never be forgotten. He will, forever, be dearly missed.