Robert W. Simpson JR, "Bob", was born Sunday, November 9th, 1952 at Barns Hospital in St. Louis to loving parents, Bob and Audrey and departed this life on Friday, December 2, 2022.

Bob was the first of two sons born to this union and as a very young man, soon discovered a passion for sports and music, as well as pretty girls. Upon his graduation from Crocker High School in 1970, he worked in his grandmother and grandfather's auto part store as a parts clerk learning the art of customer service. In his twenties, Bob went to work for the federal government as a United States Postal Carrier while at the same time acting as Fire Chief of the Crocker Rural Fire Department until after 10 years, deciding to pursue yet another passion as a professional fire fighter on Fort Leonard Wood where he spent the next 14 years excelling at, not only saving lives, but also overseeing the firefighter's union as its president.

Bob married the love of his life, Rita on June 23rd, 1985 and spent the next several years raising his sons, Jake, Jeff, Jason, and Shawn. He was baptized into Christ by his uncle Louis Faust on November 2nd, 1965 and remained a devout Christian, loving husband, supportive patriarch, and loving brother to John Simpson.

Bob retired from the fire department on the Fort in 1998 but stayed active serving on the Crocker School Board. During this time he volunteered on the Pulaski County Water and Sewer District all the while running the local Shelter Insurance agency with Rita until their collective retirement in 2017.

Some of Bob's favorite activities included travel with his best friend, Jerry Bethurem, horse races in Kentucky, family vacations, and most of all, the time that he spent with his grandkids, Lainie, Noah, and Kelsee, as well as his great granddaughter, Iris. He loved spending time laughing with nephews, nieces, cousins, in-laws, and dear friends.

Bob spent the last years of his life fighting dementia and somehow managed to keep a loving, gentle demeanor throughout his illness. He was always quick to laugh at a silly joke and always had a smile waiting for anyone who might need it. Robert Wayne Simpson Jr. is preceded in death by his son Shawn, his mother, Audrey, and his father, Robert Sr.

The family would like to give special thanks to Mindy Snelling for her compassionate care during Bob's final days, the wonderful people at Compassus Care Hospice, and also to the Crocker Christian Church.

Memorials are suggested to the Lewy Body Dementia with envelopes available at the church on the day of service or at the Long-Kloeppel Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Crocker.