Barbara Louise Simpson

Barbara Louise Batchelder Simpson, 89, of San Antonio Texas, passed away August 10, 2015. She was born in Brockton, Massachusetts on July 18, 1926. Barbara graduated frm Nathan Hale High School, West Allis, Wisconsin and received a Registered Nursing Degree from Milwaukee County General Hospital. She was married to Henry Edward Simpson for 52 years. Barbara had a career in nursing for Saint Luke’s Episcopal Hospital, Rosewood General Hospital. She had a passion for Baking, Sewing, and studying God’s Word.

She was preceded in death by her husband Henry Edward Simpson, Houston, TX, and her parents, Harry Albert Batchelder and Annie Amanda (nee O’Brien), Sarasota, FL but formerly, for many years, of Wauwatosa, WI.

Barbara was sister to five, two of which have passed; Harry Albert Batchelder, Jr, (Anita), Venice, FL; and Byron Edward Batchelder, Clermont, FL.

Her surviving siblings are Marjorie E. Kobs (nee Batchelder) (Walter), West Allis, WI; Robert Wesley Batchelder, (Beverly), The Villages, FL; and Charles Gordon Batchelder, (Letha), Indianapolis, IN.

Barbara and Henry were blessed with three children, now grown; James Henry Simpson, O’Fallon, IL; Robert Edward Simpson (Barbara), Waxahachie, TX; Nancy Sue Simpson Rhoden (Keith Lamar), San Antonio, TX.

Barbara’s eight grandchildren are Margaret Ellis Samson (nee Simpson), (Neil Bautista), Belleville, IL; Anna Louise Konieczny (* Ken-yetch-knee) (nee Simpson) (Ronald Paul), Lebanon, IL; Ryan Foster Simpson, Fort Worth, TX; Kevin Lamar Rhoden (Megan Gene), San Antonio, TX; Suzanne Renee Bramlett (nee Rhoden) (Joshua Richard), The Woodlands, TX; and then Nathan Samuel, Benjamin Caleb, and Jonathon Daniel, all also of San Antonio.

Five great grandchildren have joined the family tree, they being Hayden Ann and Parker James Konieczny; Kaiden Lamar and Maddox Gene Rhoden; and Clair Renee Bramlett.

Barbara was born in Brockton, MA, in 1926. The family moved to the Milwaukee area in 1930. She attended Nathan Hale High School, West Allis, after which she attended nursing school at Milwaukee County General Hospital, receiving her degree in 1947.

During nursing school, a friend introduced her to Henry Simpson, a tall, handsome, soft-spoken, southern gentleman from Greenville, SC, who was a representative of Allis Chalmers farm equipment. They married in 1949 and then transferred to Beaumont, TX. While in Beaumont, James and Robert were born.

The family moved to Houston in 1953, where Barbara continued her nursing career at several area hospitals, mostly in labor and delivery, and Henry joined Fluor, an oil drilling supplier. Houston was also where their daughter, Nancy, was born. The family were members of Houston’s Bellaire Methodist Church.

Henry passed in 2002, prompting Barbara’s move soon after to San Antonio, to be close to her daughter Nancy’s family.

Throughout Barbara’s life she enjoyed cooking, mostly baking, and served wonderful special meals to friends and family at a table appointed with dressy linens, sparkling china and silver. She also ice skated and roller skated with son James as her partner. Later, she made matching costumes for Henry and her as they doe-see-do’d with their Houston square dancing club. Her sewing was known to be of professional quality, with each garment she made beautifully finished down to the last detail.

Traveling was also on Barbara’s list of favorite things. When the children were young, she and Henry took them on frequent family car trips. In their later years, the couple cruised often and widely, even taking a cruise around the world.

Barbara also read and studied the Bible, by herself and in congenial study groups during her later church life.