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Joseph Gravett Simpkins Jr.

Joseph Gravett Simpkins Jr.

December 24, 1953 - April 07, 2022
6500 Iron Bridge Rd

Joseph Gravett Simpkins Jr.

December 24, 1953 - April 07, 2022
6500 Iron Bridge Rd

Obituary

Joseph Gravett Simpkins, Jr. was born on December 24, 1953, the third child to Gracie and Joe Simpkins.  He is survived by his partner of 32 years Michael Fojtik; sisters, Peggy Galmish and Brenda Sneider; and countless nieces and nephews.

During his high school years Joe’s passion for trombone flourished.  Mr. Jack Winn (Joe’s high school music instructor) was a major influence during this time and became a lifelong friend.

Joe was a graduate of VCU majoring in music education and then pursued his Master’s degree in school administration.  Upon completion, he began his career as music director at Clover Hill High School where he made a lasting impact on their music program.  He moved on to serve as an administrator in the Richmond area public school system and created his own business to become the executive director of Dixie Classic Festivals.  Through Dixie Classic, Joe encouraged music education and band performance by providing competitions in various cities on the East Coast.  It was also through Dixie and selecting judges, that Joe made cherished relationships with admired composers, arrangers and conductors.

In 1994, Joe found his niche when he became the conductor of the Richmond Pops Band, an all-volunteer organization serving the Richmond community. Under Joe’s leadership and direction, the Band grew to become a premier performance ensemble. Besides his work as the conductor, Joe became an integral part of the Pops from printing tickets, writing and answering letters to the community, arranging the venue, selecting performers, to writing narratives for the host.  Joe developed special relationships with the Salvation Army and Military performing groups.  He made a point of dedicating each and every concert to the military members who serve our country.

Perhaps the reason Joe was able to inspire the musical talents in others and make the Pops such a success was that he had innate teaching ability and a genuine interest in people.  He values loyalty and possessed the rare gift of a kind heart.  He was keenly interested in history, but it went beyond the textbook, to learn about the personal back-story of the struggles and accomplishments of the people he met.  This often led him to help others who many might have seen as marginalized members of society.  He also had the ability to look for the positive side of life and refused to dwell on bad memories.  He had many loves and yet they were simple: spending time with family and friends, playing with his dogs Rusty and Angelo, pushing dirt with a bulldozer, telling a good joke and story, visiting Disneyworld and Las Vegas, adding plants for scenic viewing to his golf cart trail, designing websites and learning how to fix any home repair.  Joe was extremely proud of his efforts with the Pops, but also of all he did with designing and building home.  No tour was complete without the viewing of the computer closet and furnace room.

Joe was an extremely giving and unique individual.  He will be missed by countless in the Richmond community, his musical colleagues, and family and friends.  In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to Richmond’s Pop Band, 3811 Cottrell Road, Richmond, VA 23234.

Visitation

  • Date & Time: April 13, 2022 (10:00 AM - 12:00 PM)
  • Venue: Morrissett Funeral & Cremation Service
  • Location: 6500 Iron Bridge Rd North Chesterfield, VA 23234 - (Get Directions)
  • Phone Number: (804) 275-7828

Funeral Service

  • Date & Time: April 13, 2022 (12:00 PM)
  • Venue: Morrissett Funeral & Cremation Service
  • Location: 6500 Iron Bridge Rd North Chesterfield, VA 23234 - (Get Directions)
  • Phone Number: (804) 275-7828

Graveside Service

  • Date & Time: April 13, 2022 (3:00 PM)
  • Venue: Shepherd's United Methodist Church
  • Location: 163 Fleets Mill Road Saint Stephens Church, VA 23148 - (Get Directions)

Richmond's Pop Band

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Joseph Simpkins Jr. Tribute Video

Joseph Simpkins Jr. Funeral Video

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18 responses to Joseph Gravett Simpkins Jr.

  1. Mike, We are so sorry for your loss. There are no words adequate to express the shock of Joe’s passing. He will be missed by so many.
    Art & Beth Dechent
    Pops Band Members

  2. It is with great, sincere sadness that we learned tonight of Mr Simpkins passing in a letter from the Pops Band regarding the June concert. We were not fortunate enough to have known Mr Simpkins on a personal level, but we so appreciated and admired his work with the Richmond Pops Band and attended many concerts with him directing. Whether a friend or dear family member, please accept our sincerest condolences. We know life will be truly difficult with his absence, but knowing he was able to touch so many lives in a positive way, will hopefully bring some comfort. With many thoughts and prayers, The Donahue Family

  3. It is a sad day indeed to learn of Joe’s passing. Our paths did not cross often, but those paths do go back for decades. He was all the kind, knowledgeable and pleasant expressions of his life that have been mentioned in the previous messages. Our sincere condolences to his family and close friends. The Houcks – Shirley and Willie

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