Carolyn Marie Simpson

Carolyn Marie Simpson, 69, passed away peacefully in her home surrounded by loved ones. She was recently diagnosed and fought a short but gallant battle with cholangiocarcinoma (biliary duct cancer). Carolyn was born on March 1, 1950 in Boise, raised in Yakima, and moved to Vancouver as a young adult. She is survived by her husband, two brothers, a sister, a daughter, a son, two stepdaughters, one stepson, 8 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren, and many more family members friends. Carolyn has been a registered nurse for 50 years. She went to nursing school at Yakima Valley College on a scholarship right out of Central Catholic High School in 1968. Carolyn started working as a nurse in Vancouver at Memorial. She met Jon while in Vancouver and was married in 1973. They then moved to Clarkston, Washington where she worked in a hospital there for a couple of years. Jon and Carolyn moved back to Vancouver where she started working at the Vancouver VA hospital. Carolyn was one of the pioneers in ICU nursing as a result of the Vietnam war. She started her 25-year career at Kaiser Permanente in the early 1980s where she started working at Bess Kaiser in Portland in the ICU as a charge nurse. This was her most rewarding and talked about position. After Bess Kaiser closed, Carolyn worked at Southwest Medical Center, now known as PeaceHeath Southwest Medical Center, in the ICU for about 5 years. Carolyn then worked as a nursing house supervisor at Interstate Kaiser and was the manager of the 24-hour Urgent Care. She finally retired in 2018 from The Vancouver Clinic after working as an advice nurse there for about 5 years. Not only was Carolyn certified in critical care nursing, she was also certified in laugh therapy. A light-hearted Bess Kaiser reunion benefit auction was hosted by Carolyn for the last 20 or so years. In addition, Who's Who of America listed Carolyn and her nursing accomplishments. She was also involved in a number of organizations including Southwest Washington Anglers (SWWA aka The Fishing Club) and The Girl Scouts. Human Service Council is another organization that Carolyn volunteered for as a pen pal to children learning their writing skills. In the last couple of years, Carolyn has been an active participant in the Republican Party and she held the position of Precinct Committee Officer of Precinct 692 in Vancouver. She also keeps in contact with her classmates from Central Catholic High School and had recently attended her 50th-year reunion. Jon and Carolyn have been to many Caribbean countries and all over the United States as members of WorldMark. Holy Redeemer Catholic Parish in Vancouver was where she worshiped and played bunco regularly. She and Jon are also members of the Moose and Eagle Lodges. Carolyn enjoyed traveling, maintaining relationships with friends and family, cooking, playing cards and board games with the kids, reading, keeping herself informed about her community and country, and giving her time or resources to various charities. She was known for her humor, her memory, her generosity, and her cookies. Carolyn touched our community in many different ways, mostly as a nurse. In her entire life, she has literally touched and cared for thousands of people in the Pacific Northwest.

Carolyn Marie Simpson

March 1, 1950 - December 1, 2019