Lorraine Ann Simpson, a woman of strong faith, love, and laughter that brought joy and comfort to so many during her wonderful life passed away unexpectedly at home June 10.
Born to Lillian and William Wisnewski, she was the youngest of three children, growing up in Elmhurst, Queens, NY. Singing around the piano was a favorite and frequent pastime of her family. This gave her quite a repertoire of broadway and popular sing-alongs. She could break into song to fit any situation which very often would bring a chuckle to those in range.
During her first job as a secretary for Warner Brothers, NYC, she was able to meet some of the popular stars during the 50s, such as John Wayne, Eddie Albert and others.
She met the love of her life, British expatriate, Jack Simpson, through friends of her sister, and they were married in 1956. Not long after their daughter was born, they moved to Florida following Jack’s transfer to take a management position with the USAF Eastern Test Range at Cape Canaveral in support of the NASA Space Program.
After settling in at their Cocoa address, Lorraine, in response to Jack’s comments about the lack of Jazz on the radio, urged her husband to contact the local radio stations to generate interest in a jazz show. He also enlisted the support of Today Newspaper’s Help column to spread the word which they did. And in 1967, “Jazz on the Beach” was born on WRKT (Rocket Radio) in Cocoa and continued on various Brevard stations until 1983 when he took his Jazz program to WUCF-FM in Orlando on the air now for 37 years, with unwavering support from Lorraine.
She also made sure that her three sons and daughter went to Catholic school (St.Mary’s, Rockledge, FL) and as a devout Catholic, expressed her faith in the community in many ways.
One of her major accomplishments, while working as a social worker at the Community Action Agency, Cocoa, FL, was starting a multiracial singing group called the Junior Messengers to sing songs of love and brotherhood throughout Brevard County. The group included as many as 80 kids from the surrounding neighborhoods near the Agency as well as kids from St. Mary’s with the help of Sr. Domitilla, St. Mary’s Music teacher. This was from 1969 to 1975 during the height of the civil rights movement. Through that organization, she touched and influenced countless young men and women who still treasure those experiences and credit her with being a beacon of light and making a huge impact in the direction their life would turn.
She was also a social worker for Catholic Social Services and continued into her retirement serving the underprivileged and those experiencing hardship in their life.
There are many other wonderful things that could be added about her accomplishments in life...her thoughtful poetry, beautiful artwork, avid gardening and love of animals, but to sum up how she made a difference in this world and steal from one of her favorite church songs, The Prayer of St Francis, Lorraine was truly “an instrument of your (God’s) peace,” and will be greatly missed by all that knew her.
A funeral mass will be held Friday, June 19, 2020, at noon, at Blessed Sacrament Church (5135 US Hwy 1, Cocoa FL 32927) where she and Jack have been members since 1967 and where her ashes will be held.
Lorraine will be lovingly remembered by her husband, Jack and her four children: Corey Kondas and her husband Walter of Newtown, CT; John Simpson and his wife Vicki of Port St. John, FL; Jeff Simpson and his wife Deborah of Marietta, GA; and Ken Simpson and his wife Ellen of Mt Carmel, IN; grandchildren: Joni Kondas of New Haven, CT; Sean Kondas of Boston, MA; Shandi and Nolan Simpson of Port St. John, FL; Gabriel, Ava and Liam Simpson of Marietta, GA; and Patrick Simpson of NYC, NY; and great grandchildren: Kambrie and Kayden.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Lorraine’s memory to Blessed Sacrament Church - Catholic Charities Outreach Program (321) 632-6333 or WUCF-FM Radio (407)823-0899
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