Margaret Louise (Speckhard) Simpson

Margaret Louise “Buti” Simpson passed away peacefully in her home in Portland, Ore., on Jan. 14, 2010. 

Margaret was born in Saginaw, Mich., on March 21, 1927, to Evan and Olga (Riedel) Speckhard. She attended the University of Michigan before moving to Los Angeles, Calif., where she received a bachelor’s degree in English in 1951 from Los Angeles State College.

In 1950, she married Robert Simpson, an architect, and the couple had four children.  The couple divorced in 1964 and Margaret eventually went back to earn her master’s degree in social work from UCLA in 1966.  All four of her children attended her graduation.

In 1966 the family moved to Mill Valley, Calif., where Margaret worked at Family Service of Marin County as a social worker. The family marched to protest the Vietnam War, camped often with friends, enjoyed hikes to Stinson Beach, and canoed down the Russian River. In 1973, the family went to Germany, where they purchased an orange Volkswagen campervan straight off the lot. They named the campervan “Peaches” and camped across Europe for several months before returning to the U.S. and settling in Yellow Springs, Ohio. In 1976, after all the children had graduated from high school, Margaret moved to Palo Alto, Calif., where she started her own private practice.

In 1989, Margaret completed her dream to move to Sandpoint, Idaho, and build a home overlooking Lake Pend Oreille. In Sandpoint, she worked as a social worker for Bonner Community Hospice and was actively engaged in the Sandpoint community.  She was a member of the Bonner County Human Rights Task Force and served on the board of the Friends of the Library. Margaret was instrumental in creating the Kids Camp for grieving children and she started the first PFLAG organization in Sandpoint. She was a Master Gardener, and earned her Certificate to teach English as a Second Language in 2000.

In 2002, she moved to Portland, Ore., to be closer to her children and grandchildren.  She spent countless hours shouting encouragement at various baseball and softball games, taxied children to dental appointments, and recently taught her granddaughter how to make a cheesecake. She mowed and edged her own yard, continued to be an avid reader, and oversaw the political happenings of the day via CSPAN. She was a member of the Unitarian Church, and volunteer for the ACLU. In 2009, she completed training to be a Court Appointed Special Advocate for disadvantaged children.

Margaret was preceded in death by her son, Paul.  She is survived by her son, Mark Simpson; daughters, Jane and Katie Simpson; and her six grandchildren, Joe Todd Simpson, Ben Simpson, Molly Todd, Daniel Haworth, Maggie Haworth, and Hunter Haworth.  Margaret always worked for the greater good, and will be missed by all. 

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to the Oregon Food Bank, PO Box 55370, Portland, OR 97238-5370. A celebration of her life will be held at Mark Simpson’s home on Saturday, Feb. 20, from 2-5 p.m.