I am raising money, on my mother’s behalf, to pay for a Celebration of Life for my stepdad.

Mark Simpkins was a beautiful soul. A truck driver his entire working career, from age 19 until he had to medically retire at the age of 55. It was a very humbling and hard experience for him to do such a thing. He loved driving all over the country, including team driving with his wife, Linda.

Mark (Pop) leaves behind, 5 children and 2 step children- but to ask him that, he’d tell you he doesn’t have step children, he has 7 kids. He also leaves behind 8 grandchildren, who were the stars in his sky at all times.

Him and Linda were meant to be as fate brought them right back to each other. Those two were the yin to each other’s yang. Mark was a God fearing man as well. A member of the Nazarene church, could recite everything you asked about in the Bible, and had the best voice to sing the gospel.

Mark was diagnosed with a very rare condition called MSA-C. Imagine having Parkinson’s, MS, and ALS all at the same time (that’s how Columbia described it to us). We lost him too young and the family is devastated. Our Pop, Papa, husband, friend, man of God, is gone.

If you cannot donate, we understand, but we do ask that you pray for our family members and friends, as we navigate life without his silliness and singing.

Edit added- we do not have a date of service yet. We can’t leave that spot blank according to GFM.