Lela Walton Simpson

Service: 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Gambrell Street Baptist Church, 1616 W. Gambrell St., Fort Worth, followed by private burial.

Walt was born on a farm in Wise County on Dec. 8, 1914, to Willie Walton Watson and Verna Clifton Laughter Watson. At the age of 3, her family moved to Childress, where she graduated from high school in 1932 as valedictorian of her senior class. She then entered Baylor College, which is now the University of Mary-Hardin Baylor, graduating in 1936, and began her lifelong teaching career. While she taught at both the elementary and college levels early in her career, she taught high school Latin for 30 years in Nashville, Tenn., retiring in 1974.

In 1938, she married Hugh Seborn Simpson. During their marriage, they lived in Fort Worth, Houston, Frederick, Okla., Carbondale, Ill., finally settling in Nashville, Tenn., where her husband worked for the Sunday School Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. She returned to make Fort Worth her home after Seborn's death in 1985.

Walt taught Sunday school classes for 65 years. After returning to Fort Worth, she joined Gambrell Street Baptist Church where she served on many committees, participated in mission projects and tutored foreign seminary students. She enjoyed reading, gardening and traveling well into her 90s.

Walt was preceded in death by her parents; husband; and sister, Verna Ruth Cappadona.