Obituary of Jayne Helen Simpson

Jayne Simpson (née Davel) was born July 22, 1922, and passed peacefully on May 9, 2023, at the age of 100. Born in Loyal, WI as the 10th child of 11, she was proud to be a part of a big Wisconsin family. The siblings loved to get together to talk, play cards, enjoy Happy Hour, and talk some more. Traveling with her sisters in their later years included meeting Mickey Mouse in Florida, and standing on stage at Radio City Music Hall. When they got together the sisters would often share a sandwich four ways (but never the pie.)

After high school she moved to Minneapolis where she started working in a cracker factory before settling on a career as a bookkeeper. In 1960, while bookkeeping at Mount Sinai Hospital, she was the first in the city to be trained on a new-fangled National Cash Register accounting machine. This was a precursor to the computer she was trained on at the age of 70 while working as a bookkeeper for Minneapolis Floral.

She was married to William “Bill” Simpson from 1949 until his death in 1984. They traveled to California and Tijuana, Mexico and later to Seattle, Washington for the 1962 World's Fair. The following year their daughter, Laura Lou, was born. Jayne loved nothing more than being a mother to her daughter until she became a grandmother to Ezra and Elizabeth! She retired from bookkeeping at the age of 75 and turned her love and skills to their daycare, working another six years! She passed on her love of reading, her work ethic, and her math skills while cheering every achievement of her daughter and grandchildren. Her friends and family celebrate her sense of humor, her high spirits, and her humility. Everyone admired her stylishness - from her hairdo to her tennis shoes.

Her love for us was known and will be felt forever. We are comforted knowing that she is resting in peace.

She is survived by her daughter Laura Simpson, her grandchildren Ezra (Molly) Koetz and Elizabeth Koetz, and an expansive family including generations of nieces and nephews numbering over 200.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Albert and Florence (née Baker) Davel and her siblings: Evelyn (Fred) Nolan, Lawrence "Boots" (Neddie) Davel, Marie (Scott) Canney, Gert (Al) Phair, Eddie (Edna) Davel, Martina Davel, Katherine Babb, Maddy (Lucien) Krawczyk, Paul (Pat) Davel, and Dorothy (Al) Schmook.

In lieu of memorials, please perform an act of kindness or donate to the Alzheimer’s Association at alz.org or your favorite charity.

A Memorial Mass will be held in her honor on May 16, 2023, at noon at the Basilica of St. Mary. Visitation begins at 11am. Livestreaming will be available. Details can be found at: https://mary.org/event/memorial-mass-jayne-simpson/