Dr. Amos Edwin Simpson

Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, August 2, 2014 at 1:00 PM in Delhomme Chapel of the Flowers in Lafayette, for Dr. Amos Edwin Simpson, 89, who passed away on Tuesday, July 29, 2014 in Lafayette. Interment will be held in Lafayette Memorial Park Cemetery. Reverend Wilmer McNair of United Church of Christ will conduct the funeral services. He leaves to cherish his memory, his beloved wife of 33 years, Helen Vaughan Burdin Simpson; one daughter, Thetis Cusimano and her husband Richard; two step-sons, Larry Eugene Baker, Jr. and David Scott Baker; one step-daughter, Elizabeth Baker Murrill and her husband John; one grandson, Judge Christopher Joren Lyons and his wife Shi Yun of San Francisco, CA; six step-grandchildren; two great granddaughters; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles Arthur Simpson and Myrtle Naomi Miller Simpson; and two brothers, Reverend Arnold Simpson of Little Rock, Arkansas and Kelly Simpson of Mena, Arkansas. Dr. Simpson proudly served in the United States Navy during WWII as a naval radio reconnaissance operator in the Marshall Islands. He earned a Ph.D. in Modern German History from the University of California at Berkeley, served on the faculties at the San Francisco State University and the University of Arkansas before joining the Department of History in 1956 at what was then SLI. He chaired the USL Department of History from 1966 - 1971, served as Assistant to the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts, was a Co-Founder of the Center for Louisiana Studies and was the Frank A. Godchaux Honor Professor of History until his retirement in 1995. He was the author of several books and historical articles and a former President of the Louisiana Historical Association, the Southwestern Historical Association, the Southwest Social Science Association and the European History Section of the Southern Historical Association. He taught abroad with the University of New Orleans Summer Program in Innsbruck, Austria, was a co-founder of the UL-France Study Abroad Program. He was a Fullbright Scholar in India and in China and was an honored mentor and friend to many students at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. Dr. Simpson will be greatly missed by his family, friends and all who knew and loved him. One of his former students said, "Every person he met face to face, he touched in a positive way." Pallbearers will be Christopher Joren Lyons, John Parham Murrill, Jr., Baker Whitfield Murrill, Paul Burdin Murrill, Larry Eugene Baker, III, Cameron Scott Baker, James Henry Murrill and Kelly Canulette. Honorary Pallbearers Richard Cusimano, Sr., Larry Eugene Baker, II, David Scott Baker, John Parham Murrill, Sr. and Dr. Arnold Krammer. The family requests that visiting hours be observed in Delhomme Funeral Home on Bertrand on Friday, August 1, 2014 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Visiting hours will continue on Saturday from 11:00 AM until the time of service. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made in Dr. Simpson's name to UL Lafayette Foundation, Amos Simpson Endowed Prize Fund, P. O. Box 44290, Lafayette, LA 70504-4290. Special thanks to the caregivers and staff at Rosewood Assisted Living, Senior Helpers of Abbeville and Vee's Sitter Services. Personal condolences may be sent to the Simpson family at www.delhommefuneralhome.com. Delhomme Funeral Home, 1011 Bertrand Drive, Lafayette, LA is in charge of funeral arrangements.

Dr. Amos Edwin Simpson

January 21, 1925 - July 29, 2014