Virginia Dale Lindsey Simpkins

Virginia Dale Lindsey Simpkins joined her savior Jesus Christ in heaven on September 10, 2024. 

Dale was a proud coast girl, born in Gulfport, Mississippi on June 7, 1933 to Monroe and Gladys Lindsey. She graduated from Gulfport High School in 1951. Following high school, Dale left Mississippi to attend King College in Bristol, TN on an art scholarship. Two years later she was ready to come home and finished her college education at Mississippi Southern College (now USM) in Hattiesburg, with degrees in Speech Therapy and Special Education. 

At Southern she was a Member of Tri-Delta sorority. She served in the Women of the Church, led bible studies, and taught Sunday school while she and Harry were members of First Presbyterian in Gulfport, MS. Outside of church ministry work, she was involved for many years in Lydia Fellowship, Cursillo, Prison Fellowship and coastwide multi-denominational Christian retreats for women. She established and ran the library at Westminster Academy in Gulfport when the school opened in 1968. 

She started a business creating do it yourself needlepoint crests for fraternities and sororities and opened Aere Jewelers in downtown Gulfport, earning her certification as a gemologist. 

Dale was preceded in death by her parents, her husband of 68 years, Harry Melvin Simpkins, III, her brother Austin Lindsey, and her granddaughter Auden Jubilee Simpkins. 

She is survived by her children Harry Monroe “Monty” Simpkins (Mary Ann), Marc Lindsey Simpkins (Ruth), Virginia Leona Darwin (Mike), Kelly Dunleath Simpkins (Angela), and Joseph Dale Simpkins (Leslie). She is also survived by 16 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren. 

A memorial service celebrating her life will be held at Highlands Presbyterian Church, Ridgeland, Mississippi on October 19, 2024 at 10:30 a.m., preceded by a visitation period beginning at 9:30 a.m. at the church. 

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be made in Dale’s name to the Highlands Presbyterian Church Deacons Fund, Gateway Rescue Mission, or French Camp Academy.