Colleen Ann Crowder Simpson, age 73 of Wichita Falls, Texas passed away from cancer on Sunday, July 17, 2022, with her loving husband and daughter at her side.

Colleen was born on Dec 28, 1948 in San Antonio, Texas, to the late John Robert Crowder and Mary Anne Seifert Crowder. Colleen grew up in Houston Texas attending Spring Woods High School. Upon graduation, she traveled to Finland to help take care of and teach English to the three children of the Suomio Family. She returned to the US to attend Sam Houston State University where she majored in Speech Therapy.

One weekend Colleen was offered the chance to go on a blind date with the man that would become her future husband. Richard Park Simpson and Colleen were married on December 19, 1970 just 11 months later. After graduation Richard accepted a position to teach in Canowindra, NSW, Australia and the couple headed down under in 1974. So began the happiest four years of their lives. While Richard taught at Canowindra High School, Colleen taught kindergarten, 1 ^st and 2 ^nd grade, combined in one classroom at a nearby town called Eugowra, as well as 1 ^st grade at St. Edwards in Canowindra. While in Australia their daughter was born in 1976. With sad hearts but wonderful memories the couple returned to the US in 1978. In 1980 her husband accepted a position at Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas.

After a long career as a speech and language pathologist with the WFISD she retired to enjoy genealogy, gardening, sewing as well as her ancestral family property in south Texas, which she loved dearly. In their later years Richard and Colleen traveled the world with dear friends visiting locations in China and Europe as well the amazing Galapagos Islands.

In addition to her parents Colleen was preceded in death by her brother John Mark Crowder. She is survived by her husband of 51 years and her daughter Jillian (Mary) Jacqueline Simpson, two sisters Jeneen Marie Barth and Darleen Renee Jordan, and three brothers Rex Alan Crowder, Edward William "Bill" Crowder and Bradford Lewis "Brad" Crowder.

A memorial service will be held at Lunn's Colonial Funeral Home, Wichita Falls on August 5, 2022 at 2 pm.

In lieu of flowers the family respectively request memorial contributions be sent to Patsy's House Children's Advocacy Center, 1411 Tenth St. Wichita Falls, TX, 76301 or Hospice of Wichita Falls, 4909 Johnson Rd, Wichita Falls, TX 76310