Richard Hale Simpson Jr.

He is survived by his spouse of 39 years, M. Karen Hambright, PhD, his sister Suzanne Simpson Wilkins (Todd), his brother David Simpson, Esq. (Jill), his father Richard H. Simpson, Sr., his mother-in-law Carolyn Hambright, sister-in-law Priscilla Hambright Brown (Bill), brother-in-law K. David Hambright, PhD (Pamela Genova, PhD), his beloved nieces, nephews, cousins, great nieces and nephews, his many friends around the world and his beloved Luna cat and Gracie. He was preceded in death by his mother, Martha Faggart Simpson Kelley, his father-in-law, R. Fain Hambright, his best friend Eugene “Andy” Andrews, and his many cats.

Richard grew up in Concord, NC then accompanied Karen to Georgia and graduated from the University of Georgia, Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication and the Mercer University School of Law. He was a member of the Georgia Bar Association and practiced law in Macon and Brunswick until his retirement for disability. He worked pro bono for the former non-profits Mental Health Association of Brunswick and Su Casa Mi Casa.

Richard was a product of the 1970’s counter-culture, a hard core liberal and “yellow dog” Democrat who was distraught and outraged over the loss of reason, compassion, and humanity in our state and country that he’d witnessed in his lifetime. He was an avid music fan with eclectic tastes and formed many lasting friendships with his beloved Cracker Crumb, Todd Rundgren, and REM families, his adopted rock and roll kids, The Stifftones, and particularly his potential kidney donors, Daniel Albright and Teresa Lindquist. He was an avid animal lover with a special fondness for cats, and many of his cats lived 20 years or more.

Richard will be remembered for his inscrutable smile, his sharp wit and dry humor, his cooking, his love of golf, and his willingness to help those in need.

Most of all Richard loved his spouse and sweetheart since 1979, Karen, Emerita Professor of Psychology at the College of Coastal Georgia.

We are planning an informal celebration of life near the autumnal equinox on 20 September at his home in Brunswick. Please contact Karen at <[email protected]> for forthcoming details.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations in his name to Todd Rundgren’s Spirit of Harmony Foundation <https://spiritofharmony.org/> or the American Society of Primatologist’s Conservation Program < https://asp.org/>.