Michael Tobias Simpson

Michael Tobias Simpson

Michael ~ who we called “Toby” until he entered high school ~ was born in Albuquerque, NM, on September 29, 1971. Michael died Monday, July 6, 2020, at home in Mission Viejo, CA.

Michael graduated from Manzano High School in Albuquerque, then attended classes at a Community College before entering the University of New Mexico. He completed a few years at UNM, then joined the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves in San Diego. He excelled in water, air and land combat training at Camp Pendleton, becoming an expert marksman as a member of the Reconnaissance unit. During the two-year period of military training, he was assigned to a unit which involved surveillance of drug cartels’ activities in California. A “successful mission” was accomplished.

As a toddler, Michael’s curiosity and mechanical skills were immediately evident. One day, while with his granddad, he managed to disassemble the screen door closing mechanism multiple times, which kept his granddad very busy reassembling it all afternoon! His inquisitive and creative spirit continued throughout his life. While in high school, he removed the motor from the blender and repurposed it to motorize his skateboard!

Michael had a God-given ability to tackle anything that presented a challenge from a young age. He began swimming at the age of six and joined the A-Pool Swim Team. He competed in the Sundance League Championships annually, and at the age of 10, he took the “All-City Championship” for his age group. As a member of the swim team, he was known as “Toby-One-Kenobi” and “Lizard Lips”. He held one of the fastest timed ‘chicken runs’ to Church’s Chicken to fetch the coaches’ lunch. They challenged him to eat whole jalapenos, which he did, and the hot peppers made him lick his lips for quite a long time afterwards! Hence, the acquired name of “Lizard Lips”.

He received a Roger Decoster bike as a young boy and developed a passion for cycling. He continued riding many hours daily and one day after he had ridden his bike all day, he came to the front door and looked at his mom and said, “Mom, I need to go back out and get rid of some energy.” So he was given permission to go back out and ride again. While in high school and still on the swim team, he and one of his swim team coaches rode their bicycles to the top of Sandia Crest, altitude 10,600 ft., then returned home late in the afternoon, which was about a 60-mile roundtrip trek. He loved every mile. Through his teens and young adult life, he took mountain biking treks with his Dad to Utah, Colorado and New Mexico. As an adult, Michael entered cycling competitions in California and qualified as a national competitive cyclist. He frequently placed in the top three of his mountain biking races.

Michael was an avid expert Alpine Skier. Ski trips to Colorado, Utah and New Mexico brought many memorable moments. He would slice through steep terrain and challenging moguls with great ease and grace that made us stand in awe of his innate ability to remain in perfect form and control while tackling terrain the rest of us were not able to ski down. While still in high school, he qualified for the Sandia Mountain Ski Patrol and actively participated as a ski patrol member during an entire season.

Michael displayed a playful nature and great sense of humor with a quick wit. One time after he had been reprimanded, he sang “nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen; nobody knows my sorrow.” He often found ways to play tricks on his sister and friends, and was known by many friends to be a prankster. During a family trip to D.C., he bribed his sister to get on the elevator in her PJ’s, then handcuffed her to the back handrail and sent her down to the Lobby. When the family would visit him, they would often return home with items they hadn’t brought with them. He would hide things in their luggage or purses like erasers, salt & pepper shakers, old phones, and funny notes. These little reminders would bring laughter and memories of the good times spent together.

After graduating from high school, Michael saved his money and bought an FZR-750 motorcycle. After many unbeknown high-speed treks up Tramway Boulevard in northeast Albuquerque at night, when his parents smugly thought their son was safe in bed sleeping, he made the wise decision to sell his motorcycle and return to bicycling. Needless to say, his mom and dad and sister were very happy!

As a little boy while our family was visiting Disneyland, Michael told us he wanted to live in California. In 1996, he moved from Albuquerque to California, fulfilling his childhood dream. He met and married Kristina J. Perez in July 2007, while working in retail management, where he had nearly a 20-year career. He decided to pursue his own business in designing and manufacturing mountain bikes under the name Simpson Velorigs. He invested countless hours building his business with inspiration from professional cyclists, many of whom expressed interest in his design.

Reflecting over the years of Michael’s activities, one attribute that remained consistent throughout Michael’s life was that, given his ability to achieve excellence in all that he attempted, he remained quietly humble. Watching him tackle challenges he faced with activities like swimming and cycling competitions, successful completion of military training, designing and building bicycle frames, he never desired to be applauded or held up high as one to be recognized or awarded. He quietly participated throughout these activities as a loyal, loving team member, servant, family member and friend, never exhibiting any hint of arrogance, only that of a humble spirit with a grateful attitude. He was a kind, loving and gentle soul, who held his feelings deep within from the time he was a very young child. His kind, gentle and capricious nature will be greatly missed.

Michael is survived by his parents, Linda and Jim (Smoke) Simpson of Mission Viejo, CA; sister, Lila Simpson and brother-in-law, John DeCourcey, Tempe, AZ; and former wife, Kristina Simpson, Laguna Hills, CA.

Celebration of Life plans are pending. Please email: [email protected] for updates. You may share thoughts or memories about times spent with Michael at this site or email them at the above email address.

In lieu of flowers, please consider giving to: http://www.thebicycletree.org/