Jessie Mae Simpson

Jessie Mae Simpson of Corpus Christi was called home on September 14, 2025. She was born in a farmhouse in Leming Texas on May 27, 1932, to William Crocket Ormand and Essie Victoria Ormand. She graduated from Pleasanton High School in 1951, and married Joseph Riley Simpson on November 22, 1951 in the Baptist church in Leming, Texas. She spent the decade taking care of their growing family while they followed Joseph while he served in the Navy.

When Joseph separated from the Navy they moved back to Leming temporarily, then moved to Corpus Christi where they resided until both retired. They then moved to Rock Springs Texas for several years before returning to the South Texas area.

Jessie Mae is remembered by her loved ones as a caretaker whose home was open to all who needed one. She had a mischievous sense of humor. And, she was a fighter. She is legendary for her willingness (and ability) to throw down and fight when the situation called for it.

She loved her family fiercely and was proud to not only raise her five kids but to also welcome in any others who needed a home. Kids knew that when they were in Jessie Mae’s home, they would never go hungry and they would always have a warm place to sleep.She loved and respected neighborhood kids. They knew that, and they loved and respected her too.

Her mischievous sense of humor would show itself in many ways. Once while walking through Bourbon Street in New Orleans, she went into an establishment that had multiple kinds of Pina Coladas in machines all along the walls. With a twinkle in her eye and a lopsided grin, she told the person there that her husband had her on a budget so she could not afford to buy any. She charmed them enough that they gave her a tiny sample cup and told her she could sample as many as she wanted. She had fun going down the wall with her daughter and daughter-in-law tasting each one.

She also loved to pull pranks on people. One time, she convinced some kids that she practiced Voo-doo and she would throw chicken bones on a table pretending they were human bones just to watch them run out of the room.

While she had a soft side, she was not one to be reckoned with. Nobody wanted to be on her bad side. She is surely hiding behind an oak tree in heaven waiting for LC Watson to walk by and jump him. She had a fierce sense of justice. There was a time when a woman that lived close to us called her a bad name. When Jessie found out about it, she confronted the woman. When the woman’s companion tried to break up the fight he ended up with two black eyes. Grandpa Ormand was in the house, when he found out she was outside fighting he said with pride, “that’s my fighter.”

Caretaker. Comedian. Fighter. Each one of these things made Jessie Mae who she was. And all of them made her someone people loved and respected. She was a model for her children and grandchildren, who learned not to let people disrespect them or the people they love.

She showed us what it meant to serve others by giving a place in her home and heart to kids who needed someone to care for them. She did this all without ceremony or expectation of anything in return. Every single person she knew has a story about her sense of humor or can tell you a joke she played on them. We can all learn something from her ability to keep smiling, even in the face of hardship.

The world is a bit dimmer now. We miss her so much. We will always miss her. But we know she is looking down on us saying, “Don’t do anything bad, but if you do—name it after me.” We will Jessie Mae, we will.

She is preceded in death by her parents, William and Essie Ormand; spouse, Joseph Riley Simpson; eight brothers and sisters; daughter-in-law, Veta Simpson; three grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

She is survived by her sons, William Simpson of Newton Kansas, Joseph (Aldea) Simpson of Corpus Christi Texas, James (Patti) Simpson of George West Texas, Victoria (Herman “Frank”) Herrada of Swinney Switch, Texas, and Jack (Jera) Simpson of Swinney Switch Texas. She is also survived by 11 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.

Pallbearers will be grandsons Sam Simpson, James Simpson Jr, Jerid Simpson, Chad Herrada, Colt Herrada and great-grandson Tristen Osborn.

A visitation for Jessie will be held Friday, September 19, 2025 from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM at Memory Gardens Funeral Home & Cemetery, 8200 Old Brownsville Road, Corpus Christi, Texas 78415. A funeral service will occur Friday, September 19, 2025 at 3:00 PM at Memory Gardens Funeral Home. A committal and interment will occur immediately following at Memory Gardens Cemetery.