Cecil Thaddeus Simpson

1939 - 2015

Cecil Thaddeus Simpson, 75, passed away on April 27, 2015 in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

He was born on September 3, 1939 in Crosbyton, Texas to Carl and Mina Mae (Jones) Simpson.
After graduating from high school he went to Cisco Junior College in Cisco, Texas. Later he graduated from Texas Tech University with a BS and MS in chemistry. In 1963 he married the love of his life, Madelyn Garner. He went to work for Eastman Kodak in Rochester, New York. Next he worked for Texaco, Inc. in Port Arthur, Texas. In 1976 he started his own business in Lubbock, Texas. The business was a color lab that performed processing and printing for the public. In 1986 he became a photographer specializing in panoramic photography.

In 1995 he won the "Best in the World" award for his photograph of a flight of geese over a lake in Colorado at a convention for the International Association of Panoramic Photographers.
Cecil was a devout Texas Rangers fan. He also enjoyed chess and astronomy. He owned his own observatory.
He retired in 2001 and moved to the Sacramento Mountains in New Mexico until the time of his death.

Survivors include his wife, Madelyn Simpson; son, Richard C. (Jennifer) Simpson of Burleson, Texas; three daughters, Sherri M. (Wade) Thompson of Winnsboro, Texas, Crystal G. (Larry) Powell of Scottsdale, Ariz., and Debbie M. (Andy) Dean of Oak Point, Texas; seven grandchildren, Rose and Nick Powell, Wesley and Autumn Dean, Jaden and Bralyn Thompson and Julia Simpson and a granddaughter Thompson on the way and one brother, Bob (Janice) Simpson of Fort Worth, Texas. He is also survived by his father-in-law Carroll Garner, his sister-in-law Laura Masten, and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Carl and Mina Mae Simpson and two brothers, Larry Simpson and Ken Simpson.

The family will greet friends from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on April 30, 2015, at Hamilton-O'Dell Funeral Home Chapel.
The Funeral Service will be conducted at 1 p.m. May 1, 2015, at Cloudcroft United Methodist Church, 50 Chipmunk Avenue, Cloudcroft, NM 88317 (at the intersection of James Canyon Hwy and Hwy 130) with Pastor Don Pettye officiating. Burial will follow at James Canyon Cemetery.

Should friends desire, contributions may be made to Iglesia Crutada Cristiana Bojaca at: iccbojaca.org. Iglesia Crutada Cristiana Bojaca is an outreach church in Columbia that has long been supported by Cecil and Madelyn. Their primary outreach is to high-risk children.

The Simpson family has entrusted their loved one to the care of Hamilton-O'Dell Funeral Home to direct the funeral services.
Any cards or flowers may be sent to: Hamilton-O'Dell Funeral Home, 1334 Scenic Drive- PO Box 760, Alamogordo, NM 88311, 575-437-0530
To sign the online register book, please visit www.hamiltonodell.com.