Submitted by Cheney Witt Funeral Home

Charlene Esther Simpson, age 89, a resident of rural Garland, Kan., passed away Monday, November 27, 2017, at the Country Place Assisted Living in Fort Scott, Kan.

She was born January 14, 1928, the second daughter of Charles Mason and Esther Eleanor Cheever Mason. She grew up in the Hammond-West Liberty area and attended school at Union Center, a rural one-room school. She was a graduate of Fort Scott High School with the Class of 1945, and a 1947 graduate of Fort Scott Junior College. On December 22, 1954, she married Donald Dale Simpson in Fort Scott. The Simpsons have lived at their rural Garland home for their marriage of 62 years. Charlene had been employed by Western Insurance Company, Montgomery Ward Store and retired in 1983, from the Fort Scott Tribune after 18 years of employment. She was baptized a Methodist and had been a past member of the Order of Eastern Star, receiving a 25-year membership pin from the Violet Chapter at Fulton, Kan. She was also active in 4-H, and had served as a foods leader for the Drywood 4-H Club for 10 years.

Survivors include her husband, Don, of the home; her three sons, Mason (Paula), Scott (Becky), Brady (Patty), all of Fort Scott; and her daughter, Lisa Ireland (Lanny), of Stewartsville, Mo.; 10 grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren and nine great-great-grandchildren. Also surviving are two nieces, Sally Hinderrager and Sue Williams, both of Montana. She was preceded in death by her parents, a sister, Eva Taylor and a nephew, Wilbur Taylor.

Pastor Lela Simpson conducted graveside services at 1:30 p.m. Thursday November 30, at the U.S. National Cemetery. Family and friends met at the Cheney Witt Chapel prior to leaving for the cemetery at 1:15 p.m. Memorials are suggested to Mercy Hospice or the charity of the donor’s choice and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, P.O. Box 347, Ft. Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.