Reverend Jesse Simpkins, 85, Rockingham, NC passed on Monday, December 11, 2023.  A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, December 16, 2023, at Mt. Zion United Church of Christ, 986 Ledbetter Road, Rockingham, NC  28379.  Public Viewing, Friday, December 15, 2023, 1:00 pm until 6:00 pm at Nelson Funeral Home, 1021 E. Washington Street, Rockingham.  Nelson Funeral Service is serving the family.

Obituary

On December 11, 2023, Rev. Jesse Simpkins surrounded by family and

friends transitioned from this life to the arms of the Lord. He was born the

youngest of 12 in Edgefield South Carolina, December 5, 1938, to the late

Walter Simpkins and Lucinda Dawkins-Simpkins. He was educated in

Edgefield, SC where he attended Edgefield High School. In 1957 he was

drafted into the United States Army where he was honorably discharged. In

1959 he moved north to Washington, DC where he married the late Mamie

Lou Bean-Simpkins. From that union they had six children, Gwendolyn,

Antoinette, Eric, Jesse Jr., Terri and Coretta. He was multi-faceted with the

various jobs he worked such as waiter, locksmith, metro driver, school bus

driver, moving companies and much more. He was preceded in death by his

parents, brothers Robert, Charles, James, sisters Rebecca, Ruby, Carrie,

Lillian, Mary and daughter Antoinette Abbott.

God called Reverend Simpkins to preach the gospel in 1983 and he was

licensed in 1984. In 1987, he was ordained at New Cannan Baptist Church in

Washington, DC where he was member for several years. He attended

Washington Bible College in Lanham, MD for 6 years and 4 years in the

Methodist Biblical Study where he became an elder. He then became a

member at Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church, where he was an associate minister.

The Lord then called him to establish his own church where he named it

Burning Bush Baptist Church in Washington, DC. He pastored this church

for 16 years. He strongly loved studying the word of God by being an avid

researcher of the Bible. He loved preaching, singing, and teaching. He always

operated in a spirit of love to anyone he encountered. After retiring from

pastoring, he moved to Sanford, NC where he was a member of Cameron

Grove A.M.E. Church.

After the passing of his wife, he moved back to Maryland, where love found

him again at church. He met and married Maddie Lee Tucker-Simpkins. He

fully embraced his bonus children Lamont, Evrard and Charletta. He always

enjoyed being around his big family. After marrying Maddie Simpkins, they

moved to Rockingham, NC to start their new adventurous life filled with

fishing, gardening and good ole country living. Now between the two of

them they have nine children filled with laughter and fun at every turn. During

this time, they joined Mt. Zion United Church of Christ where he was

member until death.

Rev. Jesse Simpkins is survived by his wife: Maddie Simpkins; one sister,

Francis Jackson; two brothers, Rufus Simpkins (Josie), Frank Simpkins;

children, Gwendolyn Beaman, Eric Simpkins, Jesse Simpkins Jr, Terri

Simpkins, Coretta Simpkins-Wade (Vinson Wade), Charletta Tucker, Evrard

Tucker; grandchildren Derek Abbott, Neicole Sinclair (Jason Sinclar),

Charlene Beaman, Marcus Beaman (Yvette Beaman), Jesse Simpkins III,

Tiarra Archie (Arrington Archie), Jessica Glover, Micheal McLong, Chantella

Simpkins, Shaneika Simpkins, Latasha Simpkins, Gabrielle Simpkins,

Taneisha Rodney, Tasia Clark, Taylor Clark, Damont Wright; great-grand-

children Antonio Glover, Brea Sinclair, Aizen Simpkins, Cayla Sinclair, Aveer

Simpkins, Z’mari Glover, Charm Walker, Jace Sinclair, Julius Glover, Asha

Simpkins, Aven Simpkins, Jay Beaman, Tyson Clark, Ayden Jones, Timia

Gamble, True Gamble, Jeremiah Wright, Carlos Wright, Janiya Wright and

a host of loved ones relatives and friends.