John Simpson, the fiery, eloquent war veteran whose passionate leadership and devotion to his fellow soldiers helped create the new Redondo Beach Veteran’s Memorial, passed away last Thursday. He was 79.
Simpson only last month was honored by Assemblywoman Betsey Butler as the District 53 Veteran of the Year for the role he played as the chair of a committee that raised $250,000 for the new memorial in Veteran’s Park.
“John has distinguished himself not only through his service to our country, but also through his commitment to improving the quality of life for local veterans,” Butler said at that time. “”He is truly an inspiration to all of us.”
Simpson also chaired and served as director of the Traumatic Brain Injury Social Network, which offers support to those who have suffered such injuries in their attempts to reintegrate in society. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Korean War and later attended La Salle University. He worked professionally as a television editor and producer until his retirement in 1995. Simpson moved to Redondo Beach in 1997 and long resided at Casa de Los Amigos.
Lt. Col. Tom Lasser, a former Army helicopter pilot and previous Veteran of the Year who nominated Simpson, described his friend as “a crusty old guy” whose unmistakable passion inspired those around him.
“He was very passionate, to the point of being emotional, especially about the Veteran’s Memorial at the park – that took on a whole life of its own when he was made chair of the committee in 2008,” Lasser said. “He was the driving force that got the team together and made a lot of that happen. He lived and breathed it.”
Simpson’s first appearance in the public arena locally was when he rose from his wheelchair at a City Council meeting to forcefully demand a Memorial Day parade honoring the war dead. The culmination of this devotion came this year, as he led the uphill fight to erect the new veteran’s memorial. But he always made it clear in all his public utterances that he did not consider his own service, in war or afterwards, anything heroic.
“I am 79 years old,” he said in an interview earlier this year. “But a lot of guys that were with me are forever 19, and sometimes I think about it and it breaks my heart. I just feel an obligation that I have to do more and speak more for those that aren’t here….We all went off to boot camp together full of piss and vinegar thinking we were going to be Audie Murphy and win a Congressional Medal of Honor. Then you get there and the reality of the situation hits you. It’s not about John Wayne stuff anymore. And you lose guys you grew up with, went through boot camp with – they don’t come home with you.
“You never forget it. It stays with you forever.”
Services for John Simpson begin July 22 with a viewing 5 to 9 p.m. at Rice Mortuary, 5310 Torrance Blvd., Torrance. Interment is July 23 at 10 a.m. at Pacific Coast Cemetery, 2701 182nd St., Redondo Beach, with a celebration to follow at 1 p.m. at Christ Episcopal Church, 408 S. Broadway in Redondo.
