Mary Lucille McMillen Simpson

PORTAGE –  Mary Lucille McMillen Simpson, passed away on Thursday, July 21, 2011, at Divine Savior Healthcare in Portage.

Lucille, as she was most commonly known, was born on November 3, 1919, in the family home in Portage to Bill and Edna (Pope) Ludwig.  She was raised in Portage and graduated from high school in 1939.  Lucille married Horace McMillen in 1942 and had one daughter, Patricia.  Horace passed away in 1962.  In 1968 she married Roscoe Simpson of Dane, and helped to raise his six daughters.  Roscoe passed away in 1993.

Lucille is survived by her daughter, Patricia Smith, of rural Pardeeville; her grandchildren, Aaron Pflanz, of San Diego, CA, and Kimberly (Kris) Sturman, of Sun Prairie; her great-granddaughter, Madeline; her step-daughters, Eunice (Paul) Virnig of DeForest, Ardis (Robert) Virnig, of Cross Plains, June (Wayne) Ballweg, of Reedsburg, Ethel (Stan) Herbrand, of Dane, Alice (Greg) Nolden, of Prairie du Sac, Rita (Tom) Nolden, of Oregon; many step-grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren, she is also survived by a special niece, Jan Jameson, of Rio, as well as many other McMillen, Westcott, and Simpson relatives.  Lucille was preceded in death by her parents, her brother, Raymond Ludwig, her sister, Ruth Wescott, her first husband, Horace McMillen, her second husband, Roscoe Simpson, her special friend, Frank Kelly, and two sons-in-law, Tom Pflanz and Greg Smith.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, July 29, 2011, at St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Portage, with Fr. Jim Murphy presiding.  Inurnment will follow, next to Horace, her parents, and her brother, in St. Mary’s Cemetery.  Visitation will be held on Friday, from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the Mass, at the church.  Pflanz Mantey Mendrala Funeral Home in Portage is assisting the family.

The family would like to thank the staff at Columbia Health Care for their kind care on her recent stays there, and also the Heritage House staff where she resided.  Thanks also to Dr. Gregory, the staff in the ICU and 2nd floor nurses who took such wonderful care of her.  Special thanks to Jan Carlson and Tracy Bartels who were there at the end.