LTC (Ret) DALE LEE “Buck” SIMPKINS, US Army, age 73, of Palisade, Colorado, died Friday, May 18, 2012 at South Bend, IN after suffering a massive heart attack.

Born in Milwaukee, WI, March 27, 1939, to Dale and Alice Simpkins as the oldest sibling of five, he graduated from Whitefish Bay High School and attended the University of Colorado in Boulder.  At CU, he met his lifetime companion of almost 51 years, Merrilyn Kay Decker.  Dale served in the Army as an enlisted Soldier and an Officer at air defense missile sites throughout the country and in the Dominican Republic during the ‘Bay of Pigs’ missile crisis.  He is a proud Vietnam veteran who earned several Bronze stars for Valor.  He continued to serve in many posts and locations, retiring in Texas after 23 years of service.  After retirement, Dale relocated his family to Palisade, CO and served as an administrator of the Colorado State Veteran’s nursing home in nearby Rifle, CO.  Dale retired from state service and spent his remaining time in Palisade enjoying his family and his many interests.

Dale received a Bachelor of Science in Business from the University of Colorado and a Master of Business Administration from Boston University.  He was a member of the Grand Junction Elks Club, the Palisade Lion’s Club, the American Legion, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.  He was an avid golfer, a lucky fisherman and an accomplished bowler.

Dale Simpkins is survived by his wife, Merrilyn (Decker) Simpkins, his children, Alicia (Dathan) Bicoy of Molokai, HI; Alan (Carrie) Simpkins of Flagstaff, AZ; and Jamie (Tess) Simpkins of Loveland, CO.  He was the proud grandfather of eight grandchildren; Ayla, Dohna, Xrystina and Decker Bicoy; and Benjamin, Emma, Andrew, and Abigail Simpkins.  Dale is also survived by three sisters; Bonnie (Allan) Streitz, Jeanie Simpkins, and Debbie Taylor.  He was predeceased by his Father, Dale A. Simpkins; Mother, Alice (Rowland) Simpkins, and younger brother, Allan Simpkins.

A military memorial service and internment with full honors will be held at the Veteran’s Memorial Cemetery of Western Colorado at 1:00pm on June 8, 2012, with a memorial ceremony at the St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church the following morning, June 9, 2012 at 10:00.  In lieu of flowers, donations are requested to be sent to the Grand Valley Combined Honor Guard, PO Box 4438, Grand Junction, CO 81502.  Thank you to all who expressed their remorse and love for the passing of a great man; husband, father, brother, friend and Soldier, and please join us in remembrance and salute.