William Tommy Simpson

William Thomas (Tommy) Simpson, a dedicated farmer and lifelong resident of Lakeland and Lanier County, died Saturday, September 7th; a lover of old cowboy movies, he fittingly passed at high-noon, following a decade’s-long illness.
Born December 31, 1953 in a clinic down the street from his Main Street boyhood home to Patti and Robert Simpson, Tommy graduated from Lanier County High School in 1972, where he played Varsity Baseball—helping to lead the LCHS team to the South Georgia Semi-Finals as a Junior. Also involved all four years in 4H and FFA, he showed steers and hogs.
Following graduation, he began dating his wife of 49 years, Debbie Moore Simpson and attended Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College from 1972-74, where he majored in Ag Mechanics; once desiring to be a diesel mechanic, he interned with Lassiter Tractor Company.
After a courtship involving regular frog-gigging and an engagement complete with a diamond ring in his pocketed pack of cigarettes, Tommy married Debbie in 1975. Their only child Will arrived in 1984.
Following his father’s passing, Tommy and his brother Bert shouldered the responsibility of maintaining the family farm in a very diverse manner: they raised hogs and cows; cultivated trees for timber and turpentine; grew tobacco, blueberries, blackberries, soybeans, cotton, and peanuts. For his efforts, Lanier County Farm Bureau named Tommy the 1992-1993 Farmer of the Year. Son Will, following in his Daddy’s footsteps, has since taken over the family farm.
Tommy loved to shoot pool. An avid outdoorsmen—he loved to ride up on the river, hunt, and later –during his convalescence—enjoyed taking a daily ride with Jerry Smith to the local Jet for a Mello Yellow and a pack crackers. A lifelong member of the Lakeland Methodist Church, he later attended Knight’s Memorial when he was well. Saturday evenings were spent enjoying the Gaither Gospel Hour. True to the end, family and friends will agree with wife Debbie, “He had a wit about him.”
Tommy is survived by his wife Debbie, son Will and daughter-in-law Cindy; a brother and sister-in-law, Bert and Judy Simpson; a sister and brother-in-law Ann and Larry Lee. Dogs, who—in the later stages of his illness—provided comfort: Gidget, who was his bed mate, Cooper, and Pixie.
He is preceded in death by his paternal and maternal grandmothers, Elizabeth McMichael Simpson and Louise Lanier; sister Patricia, brother Harold, parents Robert & Patti Simpson; mother-in-law Betty Dubose Moore, a number of adored nieces and nephews, and comfort animals Bella and Jake.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM, Wednesday, September 11, 2024 at Lakeland Methodist Church. A visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the church. Kind words and expressions of sympathy can be left to the family at www.musicfuneralservices.com . The Simpson family is being served by the professional and caring staff of Music Funeral Services of Lakeland.