Rev. Edward H. Simpson, 68, of Warminster, pastor of Grace Presbyterian Church in Horsham for 30 years, died of cancer Monday at Abington Memorial Hospital. He is survived by his beloved wife Nancy Simpson (nee Hanson), his loving daughters Dr. Kimberly Zoog and her husband Dr. Eric Zoog of Mississippi, Dr. Robin Baeder and her husband Dr. Scott Baeder of Delaware, and Lindsay Simpson of Allentown, and his granddaughters Samantha Zoog and Devon Baeder.

Pastor Simpson graduated from John Bartram High School in Southwest Philadelphia. He earned a bachelor's degree from Davis and Elkins College in West Virginia, a master of divinity degree from Crozer Theological Seminary in Chester, and a doctor of divinity degree from Covington Theological Seminary in Georgia.

He and his wife, Nancy Hanson Simpson, met when he was a student pastor at Princeton Presbyterian Church. She played piano for his Sunday school class. When they married in 1966, he was pastor of Trinity Presbyterian Church in Kensington.

In 1969, he left Trinity to become pastor of Grace Presbyterian. "He was an eloquent speaker," his wife said. He studied drama in college, she said, and was very creative in his sermons. He retired in 2004.

Pastor Simpson enjoyed keeping up with current events, growing flowers, collecting model cars and trains, and spending time with his two dogs.

Relatives and friends are invited to his Funeral Service on Thursday January 31, 2008 at 11am at the John J. Bryers Funeral Home, 406 N Easton Road, Willow Grove PA 19090. Visitation from 9am to 11am. Interment to follow in Whitemarsh Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 22718, Oklahoma City, OK 73123-1718. www.bryersfh.com

To send a message to the family you can email them at

thesimpsonfamily@bryersfh.com