Alice “Joan” Simpson, 74, of 10 Southbrook Dr, Claremont, NH, died suddenly Sunday, March 6, 2011 at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center.

She was born April 9, 1936 in Ashland, OH, the daughter of George E. McIlvaine and Lois Marie Alsdorf and resided in Claremont, NH for thirty-four years. Prior to this, as a military wife, she lived in numerous locations across the US.

Joan worked for thirty-four years at Valley Regional Hospital retiring this past summer 2010.

She was preceded in death by her husband of thirty-seven years, Robert N. Simpson.

The family includes her five children: her two sons, Robert and Trisha Simpson and their two sons Robert and Brett of Sunapee, NH and Mitch and Nan Simpson and their two sons Jack and Gavin of Brooks, ME,  her three daughters: Tari Simpson and her partner, Bobby Payne of Norfolk, VA; John and Sara (Simpson) Mulvihill and their four children Patrick, Kelsey, Hannah, and Connor of Somers, CT, and Ron and Beth (Simpson) Bohon and their four children, Madison, Mitchell, Davis, and Nolin of Collierville, TN; also her brother David E. McIlvaine and his wife, Nan, of Creston, OH, sister-in-law Dr. Charles and Beryl Solow of Quechee, VT,  her niece, three nephews and many cousins.

Joan loved traveling, bridge with friends, and spending time and playing board games with her family and friends. She gave of her time and compassion to the Claremont community as she touched many lives as an emergency room nurse at Valley Regional, a reader volunteer at the Bluff Elementary School, an active participant in the Area Choir, and organist and choir member of the Trinity Episcopal Church.  She was a patron of the student breakfast program at the church. If something needed to be done, she did it. 

She was a member of the Claremont Opera House Board, the Ladies Union Aide Society Board, Good Beginnings and the American Cancer Society Drivers program. She was a passionate supporter of the Republican Party.

Visiting hours will be held on Tuesday evening, March 8 from 5 to 8 PM at the Stringer Funeral Home, 146 Broad St., Claremont, NH.

A Celebration of her life will be held Wednesday, March 9 at eleven o’clock in the morning at the Trinity Episcopal Church, Broad St. Claremont, NH with Rev. Susan Langle, officiating.

 Burial will be held privately in St. Mary Cemetery, Claremont, NH.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to the Claremont Opera House, PO Box 664, Claremont NH, and the American Heart Association “Go Red for Women Movement” at www.americanheart.org.