Dorothy
Simpson
was
graceful
in her
appreciation
and
thanks
for the
celebration
of her
life,
faith
and
inspiration.
Raising
six
children
with her
late
husband
Calvin
was her
source
of
pride.
(Photo
by HB Meeks/Tell Us Detroit)
Donnie
Simpson,
famous
Detroit
and
Washington
DC radio
personality
who took
to the
airways
on
WJLB-AM
at the
tender
age of
sixteen
and was
affectionately
tagged
the
"Love
Bug”
paid
tribute
to his
mother
with
memorable
stories
of
growing
up, he
smiled
and
wiped
away a
tear of
pride as
he went
down
memory
lane.
(Photo
by HB
Meeks/Tell
Us
Detroit)
A
Remarkable
Detroit
Businesswoman
is
Honored
By Karen
Hudson
Samuels
Tell Us
Detroit
DETROIT
(Tell Us
Det) -
Dorothy
R.
Simpson
challenged
the
assumptions
of her
times
when she
decided
to start
a
business
fifty
years
ago
while
simultaneously
raising
a family
and
serving
as a
devoted
member
of the
Greater
Burnette
Baptist
Church.
Friends
and
family
came to
Detroit
from
around
the
country
over the
weekend
to honor
Dorothy
Simpson
who
realized
her
dream of
entrepreneurship
with
Simpson’s
Records
Shop, at
2961
East
McNichols
Road,
which
has been
a
community
haven
for more
than 50
years.
Simpson
Records
specialized
in
gospel
music
but the
business
was more
than
about
selling
vinyl,
it was a
place
where
adults
listened
to music
and
conversed
as well
as a
candy
store
for
children.
The
candy
counter
drew the
kids to
the
store,
the
music
lured
the
adults.
The
tributes
honoring
Dorothy
Simpson
were
delivered
with
music,
praise
and
stories
of her
life
lessons
within
the
sanctuary
of
Greater
Burnette
Baptist
where
she has
served
for
sixty-three
years.
On hand
for the
celebration
were her
children
and
grandchildren
who
shared
stories
of love
and life
lessons.
Her son,
Donnie
Simpson,
a famed
DJ who
took to
the
airways
on WJLB
at the
tender
age of
sixteen
and was
nicknamed
“Donnie
the Love
Bug”
paid
tribute
to his
mother
with
memorable
stories
of
growing
up, he
smiled
and
wiped
away a
tear of
pride as
he rose
to
speak.
Growing
up
Donnie
talked
about
his big
brother
Calvin
who he
said had
Hollywood
good
looks,
“If I
had a
girlfriend
I
wouldn’t
want to
bring
them
home!”
But he
was a
great
brother
who took
them
fishing
two or
three
times a
week.
“He was
like a
second
father.”
My big
sister
Deloris
said
Donnie
was like
the “the
First
Boss”
and
because
her
siblings
were all
boys,
she had
her own
room
while
they
shared a
space
that was
like an
“Army
barracks”
but he
said “We
made
it!”
Donnie
spoke of
how the
life of
second
oldest
brother,
Harry
captured
the
essence
of his
mother’s
character.
A
Vietnam
vet
Harry
became
addicted
to
heroin,
but for
his
mother
Donnie
said
“That
was her
baby and
she
never
lost
faith”
even
after he
would
disappear
for
years at
a time.
Harry
eventually
won over
his
addiction,
earned
college
degree,
started
a drug
clinic
and was
invited
to White
House by
President
Clinton.
It was
Donnie
said
because
his
mother’s
lesson
of never
giving
up, “She
never
gave up
on him.”
A
parent’s
loss of
a child
was the
second
story
Donnie
shared
about
Harry
that
personified
Dorothy
Simpson’s
ability
to
reveal
life
lessons
at even
the most
difficult
times.
In the
hospital
with
Harry
till the
very
end,
Donnie
said the
family
had left
his
brother
alone
for few
minutes
when his
mother
said “I
think
he’s
gone”
and he
was. “My
God I
was here
for his
birth. I
was here
for his
death,
what a
blessing.”
His
mother
Donnie
said was
able to
find
life
lessons
in any
circumstance.
She
taught
him and
his
siblings
to
“Believe
in you,
and
never
say what
you
cannot
do,
until
you have
tried.”
Dorothy
Simpson
was
graceful
in her
appreciation
and
thanks
for the
celebration
of her
life,
faith
and
inspiration.
Raising
six
children
with her
late
husband
Calvin
was her
source
of
pride.
Several
of her
children
followed
in her
musical
footsteps:
Donnie
achieved
fame as
the host
of the
national
acclaimed
Video
Soul on
BET and
earned
numerous
awards
over 45
career
in
broadcasting;
Calvin
Jr.,
owned
Bad
Records,
a local
chain of
wholesale
music
stores.
And
during
his life
Harry
was a
local
DJ.
I
HI TECH NEWS
I
SPORTS
I
