Mr. Richard V. Simpson, 81 of Bristol, went to his eternal reward on Tuesday, July 4th . He was the husband of the late Irene (Godfrey) Simpson, his wife of 56 years who died in August of 2015. He is preceded also in death by his late father, William Vernon Simpson and his mother Elise (Couillard) Simpson. A brother, William R. Simpson of Rumford and many nieces and nephews survive him.
Richard is a native Rhode Islander who has always lived within walking distance to Narragansett Bay; first in the Edgewood section of Cranston and in Bristol, where he has lived since 1960.
A member of the Bristol Fourth of July Committee for ten years, he served on many sub-committees, including the Executive Board for four years. While a committee member, he began researching the history of Bristol’s celebration of Independence Day; the outcome of his research resulted in the singular authoritative published narrative history of the Bristol celebration. In 1994, Richard served as Patriotic Speaker of the Day.
Richard was a graduate of St. Paul School in Edgewood, a 1954 graduate of LaSalle Academy; he attended the Rhode Island School of Design and graduated Boston’s School of Practical Art where he studied graphic design in advertising and fine art printing.
A graphic designer by trade, he worked in advertising, printing, display, and textile design studios. He designed and built parade floats for Kaiser Aluminum’s Bristol plant and the Navy in Newport; he painted large murals for Kaiser, Raytheon’s Submarine Signal Division, and outdoor billboards depicting U.S. Navy history for the Naval Supply Center in Newport. His paintings in oil and acrylic were exhibited in many Rhode Island and national shows garnering numerous prizes including the Aldridge Prize of the Providence Art Club, the Narone Award from the Bristol Art Museum, and many favorable critical reviews. His paintings are in several important Rhode Island collections.
After retiring in 1996 from a 29 year Federal Civil Service career with the US Navy in Newport, he began a second career as an author of books on subjects of historical interest in Rhode Island’s East Bay, with his principal focus on Bristol. Richard’s twenty-four published titles include three with a military theme as their subject, five America’s Cup titles and ten-titles concerning Bristol history. Beginning in 1985, he acted as contribution editor for the national monthly “Antiques & Collecting Magazine” in which 85 of his articles on antique and collectable subjects have appeared.
Funeral services from the Sansone Funeral Home, 192 Wood Street, Bristol, Friday, July 14, 2017 at 9:00 AM with a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 AM in St. Mary’s Church, 330 Wood Street, Bristol. Burial will follow in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Chestnut Street, Bristol. Visitation is Friday morning only at 9:00 AM. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Mary’s Church, 330 Wood Street, Bristol, RI 02809. For online condolences, shared memories, information and directions go to www.sansonefuneralhome.com

 

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