Addison Simpson, a longtime community advocate, especially for the Avondale Meadows area on the city’s northeast side, died March 25. He was 68 years old. Visitation hours are 3-7:45 p.m. March 29 at Stuart Mortuary Chapel and 10-11 a.m. March 30 at Cardinal Ritter High School, where Simpson graduated. Funeral Mass is 11 a.m. March 30 at Cardinal Ritter. Simpson’s burial will be at Crown Hill Cemetery.
Simpson was executive director of the Meadows Community Foundation, where he advocated for the Avondale Meadows community. He was also president of Simpson and Associates LLC.
Amandula Anderson, who works for United Way of Central Indiana and is a former executive director of the United North East Community Development Corporation, said Simpson was a role model in the community.
“He once told me that he was always asked, ‘Why do you still live in this neighborhood?’” Anderson said. “He told folks very frankly because he wanted the boys and girls in his neighborhood to see a Black man get up in the morning, put on a suit and go to work.”
Lashanda Lang, associate executive director of the Avondale Meadows YMCA, said Simpson was a significant help when the YMCA opened in 2013. She said Simpson taught incoming leadership about the history of the community and supported the health and wellness center.
“It was more than just about different programs,” Lang said. “He was genuinely interested in the families. He got to know the kids that were here, the staff. He had very strong opinions and always gave those.”
Simpson, a 1990 graduate of Martin University, worked for more than 25 years in state government, serving on the staffs of former Govs. Evan Bayh and Frank O’Bannon. He was also director of external affairs for United Water and deputy commissioner for Indiana’s Minority Business Development Division. Charlie Hiltunen, an attorney and lobbyist who represented Indiana Minority Health Coalition in the 1990s, said Simpson helped IMHC get its status as a minority health enterprise.
“We could always go to him from the community and always get a response,” Hiltunen said. “He was an advocate for the people and for the community. He was always one of our go-to leaders if we had an issue to get things done. … I don’t know what we’re gonna do without leaders like him.”
In a statement, Indiana Black Expo President Tanya Bell credited Simpson with helping to shape IBE when he chaired the organization’s Minority Business Conference.
“He always had a passion for helping minority businesses and investing in our community,” Bell said. “He will truly be missed by the IBE family throughout the state of Indiana.”
Simpson attended St. Andrew the Apostle Catholic Church, where friends said he helped others and had no trouble being himself.
“He was a man of faith,” said Kaye Smith-Harden, who knew Simpson for about 50 years. “He was a man of helping people. He loved his friends and community.”
Simpson often joined with friends for breakfast after church, where they would talk about politics and what was happening in the community. Joseph Simpson, who represents District 7 on the Indianapolis City-County Council and went to those breakfasts for about 10 years, said Simpson also liked to talk about sports and was a fan of Purdue University, where his son went to school.
“[I’ll miss] his smile, his laughter,” Simpson said. “He was a jokester. He was a good person to be around. He’s almost like a brother.”
Contact staff writer Tyler Fenwick at 317-762-7853. Follow him on Twitter @Ty_Fenwick.
Addison Simpson
