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Marc Randall Simpson was born on December 16, 1977 in Batesville, Arkansas. A 1996 graduate of Ozark Adventist Academy (Gentry, AR) he went on to Southwestern Adventist University (Keene, TX) majoring in Business Management. During his Junior year he felt the call to mission service. He went to Japan, after the completion of his junior year, teaching English and Bible classes at the Harajuku Seventh-day Adventist Language School, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan. The school was connected with the Tokyo Central Seventh-day Adventist Church. He also substituted for about a month at the Hiroshima SDA Language School. Eight months into his volunteer term in Japan, Marc was pre-diagnosed with osteogenic sarcoma. He was sent home immediately, March 13, 2000. Near the end of March the diagnosis was confirmed and he began the courageous battle to overcome cancer. He went to sleep in Jesus on May 27, 2001 at home in West Monroe, LA. His parents, Ken and Chris Simpson, and one brother, Gary, survive him. |
| Marc's life was greatly enriched by his experience in Japan. Marc fell in love with Japan and the Japanese people. He talked and dreamed of going back to help complete the mission of sharing Jesus with the many people who didn't know HIM. Music was an important part of Marc's life from the time he was very young. He loved to sing and enjoyed a wide variety of music. He sang in the Royalaires (Academy) and the Mizpah Choraliers (SWAU), the traveling choirs at each school. We remember fondly his sharing of how he taught some action songs to the children in Hiroshima. He really enjoyed his interaction with not only the people that he taught at the English Language School but also those individuals who were part of the three Seventh-day Adventist Churches housed at Tokyo Central SDA. | |
| By the testimony of other people, he touched and influenced a number of lives in a very positive way in the twenty-three years that he lived here on this earth. Marc loved life and people. This fact is reflected in the communications we received from others about him during his illness and since his passing. Truly his was a life demonstrating love, joy, hope and compassion; a vibrant, inspiring, faithful, Christ-filled life shared with others uplifting God and man. Other people sensed that Marc genuinely cared about them irrespective of their physical condition, nationality or age. He treated all alike, with respect. He had a winsome disposition. He met people easily and they felt very comfortable around him. As one person put it, "God gave him the talent of communication with people." Marc was energized by being with people and his presence made for enjoyable company. Our family encapsulated these thoughts along with what we believe to be the focus and mission of his life in the inscription placed on his tombstone. It reads: BLESSED, LOVED, AND INSPIRED PEOPLE FOR GOD. "GO YE… AND BE FAITHFUL…" MT. 28:19, 20; REV. 2:10. | |
| The witness/testimony of the power of Christianity in his life was exhibited even as he faced and battled cancer till death. He had a positive and courageous spirit through it all. | |
| We've
chosen to perpetuate Marc's passion for Mission service by working
towards having a named endowment, the Marc Simpson Memorial Scholarship,
in Marc's memory at SWAU to assist returning Missionaries in their
educational experience. Marc is missed by his friends, family, and
those with whom he shared his love of Christ and life. It is with
faith and hope in the resurrected Christ that we look forward to reunion
day "when the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are
alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds
to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the
Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words." 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 By: Ken Simpson |
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