Obituary for Margaret June Simpson
Margaret June Simpson
October 22, 1926-February 26, 2015
Middletown, NY
Margaret June Simpson, Registered nurse, Nursing Instructor, Decorated Aviator, and published author died on February 26, 2015 at Orange Regional Medical Center surrounded by her loving family. She was 88.
The daughter of the late John A. and Sophie W. Friess Rhode, June was born on October 22, 1926 in Jersey City, NJ. She married Alfred Simpson who predeceased her in 1967. June was an extremely motivated, organized and adventurous woman who led an ambitious life and accomplished many incredible goals in her lifetime. With all of her personal achievements, she always remained a dedicated and loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.
She began her illustrious nursing career in 1948 as a general duty nurse at Jersey City Medical Center and within a short time, she became an active nursing professor. After receiving her BS in Nursing in 1948, June worked on her Master’s degree while working as an instructor for various hospitals and colleges. She received her Master’s in 1960 from Columbia University Teachers College. In 1958 June became Coordinator and Chairperson of the Nursing Department at Orange County Community College, she remained in that position until her retirement in 1986. She served as a consultant for Junior and Senior colleges throughout the Tri-State area and for the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization. She was actively involved creating and developing new teaching modalities for nursing, helped develop funding proposals and took part in many research projects since 1954. She belonged to many professional nursing organizations including the ANA, was a member, program chairperson, district committee chairperson for the NYS Nurses Association, and the National League for Nursing. She was also a board member of the NYS Education Dept. Dept of Nursing and secretary, treasurer, executive board member and archives chairman for the NYS Council of Assoc. Degree Nursing. In 1951, June began her aviation career at Newburgh-Walden Airport. She became a private pilot in 1970 and a commercial pilot in 1974. She acquired over 3,000 flight hours piloting various aircrafts including Pipers, Cessnas, Ultralights, gliders and helicopters. She also flew seaplanes, and completed parachuting, hang gliding and ballooning courses. She was as active in Aviation organization as her Nursing associations, and even combined the two interests in the International Flying Nurses, Inc, serving as a member, Former President, Vice President, Publicity Chair. June also parlayed her expertise into service flying for the Civil Air Patrol for the US Air Force and was a member of the USAF Auxilary with the rank of LTC. She was also a member of the International Flying Nurses/Flying Pilot Organization, Silver Wings fraternity, the 99s (Women’s Pilot Orangization) Flying Doctors Society of East Africa, FAA, Warwick Valley Pilots Assoc, and the Aerospace Medical Society. She was able to share her joy for flying with her family, often taking her grandchildren for day trips to Montauk Point for a day in the sun at the beach.
She was a published author on both nursing and aviation and the combined subjects in many journals and magazines. She was also a member of many professional and community organizations including the Orange County historical Society the Heart Association, N.U.R.S.E.S. coalition, Nurses PAC, NYS Regents Degree Program, D&H Neversink Valley Museum, Archeology Society Member as well as many other affiliations. June was a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Middletown.
June is survived by her daughter, Pamela Phelps of Phillipsport, NY; grandsons, David Phelps and his wife Amy of Middletown, and Ryan Phelps and his wife Eileen of Ridgewood, NJ, and Megan Millman and her husband Andrew of Mountaindale, NY; great-grandchildren, Mackenzie and Peighton Phelps; Ryan, Jr, Ella, Grayson, and Kellan Phelps and Jakob, Lilyannah, and Brylynn Millman; and one sister, Joan Garrison of Montgomery, NY.
She was predeceased by one sister, Rosalie Schmidt.
Cremation was private.
A Memorial Service will be held at 11 am on Thursday, March 5, 2015 at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Mount Hope Road, Middletown, NY 10940. Pastor Peter Rustico will officiate. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in June’s name may be made to the M. June Simpson Nursing Scholarship Fund, Orange County Community College, Middletown, NY 10940. Arrangements are under the direction of Applebee-McPhillips Funeral Home, Inc. www.applebee-mcphillips.com
A Memorial Service will be held at 11 am on Thursday, March 5, 2015 at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Mount Hope Road, Middletown, NY 10940. Pastor Peter Rustico will officiate. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in June’s name may be made to the M. June Simpson Nursing Scholarship Fund, Orange County Community College, Middletown, NY 10940.
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