Obituary of Cathy Simpson

A funeral service for Cathy Simpson, age 69, of Des Moines, Iowa and formerly of Spirit Lake, will be held Monday, April 1, 2019 at 10:30 AM at Turner Jenness Funeral Home in Spirit Lake. Visitation will be on Sunday, March 31st from 3:00-5:00pm at Turner Jenness Funeral Home in Spirit Lake. Following the burial at Lakeview Gardens Cemetery, there will be a reception in the fellowship hall at the First Presbyterian Church in Spirit Lake. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Cathy's memory can be made out to Mike Simpson and sent to: Turner Jenness Funeral Home, 1302 Hill Ave. Spirit Lake, IA 51360. Cathy Coleene Simpson passed away peacefully at her home in Des Moines on March 25, 2019 after a lengthy illness. Cathy was born the daughter of Hazel Maxine Jean (Morris) and Vernon Edward Gilbert on November 17, 1949 in Spirit Lake, Iowa. She was a graduate of Spirit Lake High School in 1968. In 1968, she was married to Ivan Lloyd Simpson and to that union two sons were born, Michael Alan Simpson and Marlin Lloyd Simpson. She lived in Spirit Lake, Iowa most of her young life and enjoyed life on the farm helping her family by raising AKC registered dogs and Jersey dairy cattle and where she raised her children through the 80's. Cathy's business career began with a part-time sales clerk position at H.E. Jacobs clothing store in Milford, Iowa. She also worked for a brief time with the building firm for the Spirit Lake Hospital, where she worked to take donation calls and to print and distribute information for the new hospital. She was a member of Business & Professional Women's Group and achieved the high honor of President of the Spirit Lake local chapter and Woman of the Year 1984. She joined her family in full operation of the Spirit Lake airport and Great Lakes Aviation air charter business until 1984. She worked for many years as a legal assistant with the David Stein Law Firm in Milford, Iowa and the Stoller & Larson Law Firm in Spirit Lake, Iowa. In 1990, Cathy moved to Omaha, Nebraska with her life partner, Steve Chapman. She worked as an administrative assistant in Group Marketing at Guarantee Mutual Life Insurance Company, now known as Lincoln Financial until 2004. In 2004, she and Steve moved to Des Moines, Iowa where she worked as an administrative assistant in Group Sales and Medical Assistant in Life and Disability Claims at the Principal Financial Group. Cathy is survived by her devoted life partner, Steve Chapman; two sons, Michael (Chelsie) Simpson of Lake Elsinore, California and Marlin Simpson of Redwood Falls, Minnesota; four grandchildren, Blake, Chace and Cohen Simpson, Diana Morris; one brother, Keith (Suzanne) Gilbert of Pearce, Arizona; two step-children, Shannon Chapman and Sean Chapman of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; six step-grandchildren, Alexus Jarchow, Emma, Jack, Cole and Johny Eggers and Gabe Chapman. Cathy was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Laverne Edward Gilbert and step-daughter, Sheri Chapman. We love you and miss you, Mom, but we know that you are celebrating your new life in Heaven with your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Rest in Peace.