Judith Mary Simpson

Judith (Judy) Simpson passed away on January 30, 2024 at the age of 93 after succumbing to dementia. Judy was compassionately cared for by the staff of James Bay Care Home and is lovingly remembered by her daughter Jane, and her family.

Judy was born in Liverpool, England in 1930 to Harold and Doris and spent her youth in Bristol. After attending St. Bartholomew’s Nursing School in London, she immigrated to Lacombe, Alberta in the 1950s. In Alberta, she embraced the Canadian lifestyle by hiking, camping and skiing in the Canadian Rockies as well as learning to square dance. Rumour has it, during this time her nickname was “Bubbles” in the same vein as calling a large man “Tiny.” Very practical and down to earth, those close to her knew her smiles and laughs were genuine, as she did not give them up easily.

An avid bellringer, she took a tour west in the mid-1950s with some friends to ring the bells at Christ Church Cathedral, Victoria, BC and fell in love with the city. Judy left nursing and became a medical secretary, a career that matched well with her attention to detail, fastidiousness and superior editing skills. She met her husband, John Michael Simpson (Mike) while bellringing in Calgary, Alberta. They were married in 1969 and their daughter, Jane was born a couple of years later.

After a move to Edmonton in 1976, a chance reading of the classifieds advertising a hardware store for sale in Victoria, BC for led to Mike making an off-the-cuff suggestion to buy it. A seed was planted and by 1978, they were the owners of the Link Hardware store in Cadboro Bay.

Bellringing at Christ Church Cathedral twice a week, they built a good connection of friends and enjoyed both making and drinking wine.

After owning the hardware store for ten years, Judy successfully battled breast cancer which led to the sale of the store. Once recovered, Judy went back to her job as a secretary, this time in the geography department of the University of Victoria, where she stayed until she retired.

Once married, her outdoor adventures were curtailed, but she spent her time on a number of interests, including gardening, knitting, doing crossword and jigsaw puzzles, and walking, which were her main pursuits in retirement. Once her beloved husband passed in 2000, cats become her constant companions.

Judy was predeceased by her husband Mike (2000) and sister, Elizabeth. She is survived by her daughter Jane (Les) and grandson Nate of Winnipeg.

In lieu of a service, please honour Judy’s memory by doing one of her favourite things:

• Going to see if the sea is still there (her way of saying she was going for a walk).

• Editing family writings using a red pen.

• Enjoying a cup of tea at 4pm (what her Grandson calls Granny Tea).

• Toasting her with a glass of sherry (although definitely not Harvey’s Bristol Cream).

• Completing a crossword or jigsaw puzzle.

• Playing a game of free cell.

• Listening to the bells at Christ Church Cathedral on Tuesday evenings or Sunday mornings.

• Planting or caring for flower or vegetable plants, especially geraniums.

• Making a full English roast meal on Sunday, complete with popovers.

• Spending months knitting a sweater.

• Edit a WordPerfect document using reveal codes.

• Keeping her in your prayers.

• Making a donation to an organization that supports one of the following causes: the mental health of seniors, the care for cats, cancer research or care, or building community through gardening.