C Simpson

C. Jay Simpson

October 10, 1927 ~ September 3, 2020

C. Jay Simpson, age, 92, passed away peacefully on Thursday, September 3, 2020, at his home in Hooper, Utah.

Jay was born on October 10, 1927 at his family home in Hooper, Utah. He was the third of five children born to Francis Valentine “Bud” Simpson and Fawn LaVern Belnap Simpson. Many lessons were taught to Jay at this home and the one that was later built on 5900 W., which is still there today. Lessons of God and his guidance in our lives, lessons of love of family and country, and of dedication and hard work on a family farm. It was a place where early interests of music were cultivated. Jay practiced his cornet for one hour each day. It was a place where a boy looked up into the sky and dreamed of flying and those dreams came true.

Jay attended Hooper School, Weber High School, (on 12th street) where he was voted “pinup boy” his senior year, and Weber College. He received both a general scholarship as well as a music scholarship to Weber College where he majored in business.

Music was a big part of Jay’s life. Jay joined a “dance band” in his youth, where he played the cornet/trumpet. They would travel around all of Weber County to play for Friday night dances and were hired to entertain at weddings and business functions. He was also asked to play in the old Hooper Band which was a great honor to him. Unfortunately, the “dance band” faded away after World War II so Jay didn’t have a lot of occasion to play the trumpet anymore. But in 1980, Jay and his brother Earl were asked to play again. This started a tradition that would last many years, of the two of them practicing their trumpets on Sunday nights. This is something that Jay and all of his family loved.

After graduating from high school Jay served a 2-year LDS mission to the Southwest Indian Mission. He traveled to Arizona and New Mexico serving the Navajo people. This was such a great experience for him.

Before his mission Jay took his first flying lesson. He was in love. He quickly got his private license and after he returned from his mission, he resumed flying. He was contemplating continuing his flight training in the Air Force, but then he met a girl. A “tall, rather shy, blonde girl” and he “wasn’t interested in cadet training anymore.”

Jay met Charlene Ward as a result of working at the Pea Viner in the Valley. After a rather short engagement, with the threat of a draft, Jay and Charlene were married in the Logan LDS temple on December 13, 1950. The draft threat was real. A month later Jay was drafted to the US Army. The couple spent their first two years living in South Carolina and Indiana. After his service they moved back to Utah, eventually building the house they live in now, in Hooper. They soon welcomed a daughter, Jalene, into their family.

After his service Jay applied for and got a job at Hill AFB in a position of clerk-typist. He was very fascinated with the new IBM Accounting machine and his coworkers encouraged that fascination. Jay was taught and promoted and was on the wings of the computer revolution. Jay became the Supervisor, Computer Systems Programmer GS13. During his career, he would travel and train people throughout the United States. In 1980 Jay was voted Computer Programmer of the Year for all the Air Force Bases in the United States. He retired in 1985.

Jay had an absolute and unwavering faith in a Heavenly Father, a plan for this world, and a Savior who made it all possible. He was a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and found so much happiness as he served. He held callings on the High Council, Bishopric and as Bishop where he encouraged his congregation to live “extra mile” lives.

Jay and Charlene served an LDS mission to the London Temple in London, England. Jay served as a temple sealer there. Jay and Charlene also served in the Ogden, Utah temple as ordinance workers and Jay was a sealer there as well. This was a treasure to him as he was able to later seal his grandchildren to their spouses in the temple.

One of Jay’s greatest accomplishments is his Simpson Book. Jay and Charlene researched, compiled and wrote a book of stories and lineage for his Simpson ancestors, connecting thousands of people. They loved their time in the Motherland and all the family they met along the way.

Jay liked camping, fishing, hiking and going on adventures. He continued to fly throughout his life taking his family on many trips, including one where they had to make an emergency landing on a road! Jay was an avid jogger after a diabetes diagnosis. All of Hooper knew him because he would wave to every passing car on his daily jog. He put many smiles on people’s faces over the years. Jay and Charlene also loved to travel. They always say, “Give us 20 minutes and we can be on our way!” They had many, many adventures. Their favorite thing was to get in the van and see where the roads would take them. They adopted a motto of going “to the end of the road”. Some may say that Jay has come to the “end of the road”! But most of us know that, really, he’s just gotten in a new van and there are a lot of new roads to explore. We know he will be ready, gassed up and waiting, for when Charlene meets up with him again.

Jay was preceded in death by his parents, Francis “Bud” and Fawn Belnap Simpson, his brothers Earl (Lillian) Simpson and Eldin (Josephine) Simpson and a great grandson Logan Raleigh Bowles. He is survived by his dear wife Charlene, brother Max (Marilyn) Simpson, sister Beth (Nolan) Roundy, his daughter Jalene and her husband Dennis Weston and their six children: Cariane (Derek) Bowles, Jennifer Weston, Amanda (Brett) Rasmussen, Melissa Christensen, Abby (Hernando) Perez and Dennis Jay Weston Jr. As well as 12 great grandchildren.

A Family Graveside Service and interment will be held at Hooper City Cemetery on Wednesday September 9, 2020 at 11:00 a.m., 5301 S. 6300 W. Hooper, Utah. There will be no viewing services due to Covid 19. The family asks that all who attend the Graveside bring a mask and a chair to sit on.

Memories and condolences may be sent to the family at www.lindquistmortuary.com