Bert Elmer Simpson

Bert Elmer Simpson, 83, of Rogersville, passed away Tuesday, June 23, 2026, after coming home on hospice due to illness. 

Living in the St. Clair community, Bert was the third generation to work the family’s century farm, alongside his wife, Mary E. Simpson, who he was married to for 49 years. He loved the farm and his fellow farmers in the community, many of whom he called friends. He retired after several years of service with the U.S. Postal Service as a rural letter carrier, where he got to know and care about many people on his routes over the years. He started as a part-time carrier out of the Whitesburg Post Office while he worked as a campus police officer at Walters State Community College in the 1980s. He would go on to work routes out of the Rogersville Post Office until his retirement in 2004 after 29 years. He was a 1964 graduate of Carson-Newman College (now Carson-Newman University) and spent a few years as a teacher, coach and/or principal in schools in Jefferson and Cocke counties in the 1970s, including Grassy Fork, Talbott and Smoky Mountain. Bert was a member of Rogersville First Church (formerly Rogersville First United Methodist), 110 Colonial Road, Rogersville. He loved to travel, having visited 36 states, including a trip to Alaska with his best friend, Tom Greene, Hawaii with wife Mary and trips to see many Major League Baseball teams, including regular trips to see the Cincinnati Reds. 

He is survived by his wife, Mary E. Simpson; daughter, Cindy Simpson of Seymour, formerly of Harriman; grandson, Jacob Dingus of Seymour, formerly of Harriman; nephew, John Howerton, of Morristown, and his wife Tera and sons, John and Joshua; brother-in-law, Jay Howerton, of Rogersville; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Joann and Charles Thomas, Robert and Terri Isenberg and Sue and Tony Ladd; as well as other family. He also counted as friends many in the community, including Jeff Marsh, Betty Helton, Joey and Devin Helton, Scott Helton, Bobby Elkins, Jimmy Taylor and many more. 

He was preceded in death by his parents, Elmer Clyde “Doty” Simpson and Roberta Speegle Simpson; sister, Roetta Simpson Howerton; and son-in-law, Jarrett Dingus.

The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, June 26, at Broome Funeral Home, 513 E. Main St., Rogersville, Tennessee, with a service to follow in the chapel. Officiating, Pastors Justin Keating and Elaine Ruth. Graveside will be 11 a.m. Saturday, June 27, at Courtney Cemetery on Morrisett Chapel Road, Whitesburg. 

Online condolences may be made at www.broomefuneralhome.net

Those attending the graveside service are requested to meet at the cemetery by 10:30 a.m. Saturday.

Broome Funeral Home is honored to serve the Simpson family.

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