Born at Winnipeg in 1926, son of Roy Carleton Simpson (1893-1968) and Eva Mae Black (1895-1944), in 1948 he graduated from the University of Manitoba with a degree in architecture. He then spent two years of postgraduate studies at the School of Design at Chicago, Illinois. He returned to Winnipeg and was employed as of 1951 at Green Blankstein Russell and Architects, moving in 1960 to Brandon to open a branch office.
In 1950, he married Mary Franc “Mef” Simpson (1927-2013) and they had three children. He was an honorary life member of the Children’s Aid Society and Deputy Governor for the Kinsmen Club of Brandon. He also served as President of the Brandon Allied Art Centre and Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba and he was a board member of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. His hobbies included pottery, fencing, designing and painting theatre sets for the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Manitoba Theatre Centre, and Brandon School of Music.
He died at Brandon on 17 February 2009.
Some of his architectural works in Manitoba included:
Building
Location
Year
Status
150 McTavish Avenue East, Brandon
1962
St. Matthews Cathedral Parish Hall
403 Thirteenth Street, Brandon
1963
Brandon Sun Building (renovations)
501 Rosser Avenue, Brandon
1964
Brodie Building, Brandon University
270 Eighteenth Street, Brandon
1969-1972
Manitoba Public Insurance Building
731 First Street, Brandon
1971
Brandon University Residences
Brandon
?
Hobbs Manor
333 Fifteenth Street, Brandon
?
Fairview Garden Lounge
Brandon
?
Birth registration [Roy Carleton Simpson], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
Marriage registration [Roy Carleton Simpson, Eva Mae Black], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
Death registration [Eva May Simpson], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
“U. of M. graduates win design awards,” Winnipeg Free Press, 27 August 1948, page 3.
Obituary [Roy Carleton Simpson], Winnipeg Free Press, 1 March 1968, page 26.
Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 21 February 2009.
Obituary [Mary Franc Simpson], Brockie Donovan Funeral & Cremation Services.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 1 August 2023
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