John Richard Simpson

John R. Simpson, 16th Director United States Secret Service; First U.S. President of INTERPOL   John R. Simpson died peacefully at home on Maryland’s Eastern Shore of Pulmonary Fibrosis on February 10, 2017, with his family at his side. Mr. Simpson was a longtime resident of Bowie and Chestertown, Maryland.   Mr. Simpson is survived by his two children; son, John R. Simpson, Jr., wife Colleen and their children, Caroline, Olivia and Katherine of Crofton, Maryland, and Jane S. Biddle, husband Mark and their children, Andrew, Michael, Joseph and Sarah of Andover, MA.  Mr. Simpson was preceded in death by his loving wife, Geraldine H. (Teehan) Simpson after more than 50 years of marriage.   Mr. Simpson was born in Roxbury (Boston), MA in 1932.  He graduated from Loyola College in Montreal with a bachelor’s degree in Commerce and held a Doctor of Jurisprudence from New England Law/Boston (formally New England Law School).  He was also a graduate of the National War College in Washington, DC, and the Federal Executive Institute in Charlottesville, VA.   Mr.  Simpson was a veteran of the U.S. Army. He was a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, a member of the American Society for Industrial Security, the National Sheriff’s Association, the National Association of Public Administrators, and the National War College Alumni Association.  He was a former president of New England Law/Boston and member of their Board of Trustees.   Before beginning his law enforcement career, Mr. Simpson worked as a youth counselor at the Dennision House in Dorchester, MA.   Prior to becoming the 16th Director of the U.S. Secret Service, Mr. Simpson served many other protective, investigative and supervisory positions; Special Agent in Charge of the Protective Support Division, of the Executive Protective Service, of the Dignitary Protective Division, and the Presidential Protective Division.  He was the Inspector-in-Charge of the Candidate Nominee Protective Division before assuming duties as the Deputy Assistant Director of the Protective Operations, then the Executive Protective Service, and finally as the Assistant Director of Protective Operations.  He began his career in 1962 as a special agent in the Boston Field Office.   As Director, Mr. Simpson supervised an unprecedented growth and expansion of the Secret Service.  He introduced new computer technology; directed the expansion of national and international field offices; supervised the Service’s new investigative responsibilities in the areas of false identification documents, of access device and computer fraud, and financial institution fraud.  With Mr. Simpson’s strong support, the Secret Service increased the number of females and minorities in law enforcement by nearly 64%.   From 1984 to 1988, Director Simpson served as the first American President of the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL).  During his tenure he directed several major programs for INTERPOL and worked with the 142-member countries to combat the growing threat of international crime.   Mr.  Simpson received the Presidential Distinguished Rank Award in 1982 and 1986; the Executive Achievement Award in 1985; the Roger W. Jones Award; the National Operations Security Advisory Committee’s 1991 OPESEC Award; and the Women in Federal Law Enforcement 1991 Manager of the Year Award for his efforts to make the Secret Service an equal opportunity employer.   Mr. Simpson retired from the Secret Service in 1992.  During his distinguished career he served under Presidents John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard M. Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, and George H. W. Bush.   Upon his retirement from the Secret Service, Mr. Simpson was appointed by President George H. W, Bush to serve on the U. S. Parole Commission, serving until 2006.  Mr. Simpson also served on the Maryland Department of Public Safety Patuxent Institution, Institutional Board of Review from 2006-2013.   A longtime sports enthusiast, Mr. Simpson was a devoted Boston Red Sox fan.  He enjoyed following the DeMatha Catholic High School sports teams and loved to watch his grandchildren’s youth sports teams and other school activities.    Mr. Simpson will be missed, loved and cherished eternally by his family and friends.   Family will receive callers at the Beall Funeral Home, 6512 NW Crain Highway (Route 3 South) on Friday, February 17, 2017. Visiting hours will be from 2:00 to 4:00 and 6:00 to 8:00.  A mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Sacred Heart Chapel, 16501 Annapolis Road, Bowie, Maryland on Saturday, February 18, 2017 at 12:30.  Interment will be at Lakemont Memorial Gardens, Davidsonville, Maryland.     In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Compass Regional Hospice,160 Courselville Drive, Centreville, Maryland 21617.