Robert E. (Bob) Simpson (“Tennessee”) was born on July 3, 1943 in Earle, Arkansas, and was raised in Memphis, Tennessee. He completed his primary and secondary education in Memphis and graduated from Manassas High School in 1961. He went on to attend Morgan State College, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1965.
After graduating from Morgan State, Simpson went on to serve as an officer in the United States Army from 1965 to 1968. He also held several managerial positions with Sears for 17 years, from 1965 to 1983. In 1983, he began operating his own independent State Farm Insurance Agency, selling and servicing multiple lines of insurance and financial services.
Simpson is heavily involved in both sports and mentoring. An avid golfer and tennis player, Simpson serves on the Board of the Mid-South Junior Golf Association/First Tee of Memphis and is a member of the Ad-In Tennis Club. He also volunteers as a mentor for the Boys and Girls Club and serves on the Board of Trustees of Lemoyne-Owen College, an historically black college located in Memphis.
Simpson is married to Elizabeth Chase and has three children, Robert, Jr. (Kellie), Leiza McKenna (Warren), and Daniel Simpson. He also has five grandchildren, Terisa, Robyn, and triplets Robert III, Olivia, and Sophia.
Simpson participated in the founding of Groove Phi Groove because the other founders shared some of the same beliefs about life that he did. He says that he has too many fond memories of Groove to list them all but that the beginning days of the Fellowship were special. His hope for Groove’s future is that it will continue to grow and both benefit and inspire the many who will follow.
