Obituary: Theanna Simpson

Theanna Simpson, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend, passed away on May 17, 2026, at the age of 85.
Theanna was born on March 10, 1941, in Creston, Iowa, to Dale and Hazel Black. She spent her early years on family farms where many of her childhood memories were made.
She attended country school through eighth grade before graduating from Mount Ayr High School in 1959. Following graduation, she attended the Iowa School of Beauty Culture in Des Moines and graduated in April of 1960. Shortly after, she opened her own beauty shop in Afton before later moving it to Mount Ayr. Through her work, she did more than style hair – she built friendships and made people feel cared for.
More than anything, Theanna will be remembered for who she was.
Her warm presence easily made people around her feel comfortable. She had a playful, ornery, witty sense of humor that could fill a room with laughter. She had a gift for making life’s biggest problems somehow feel smaller and reminding people that everything was going to be okay.
She was always creating. Whether it was sewing, crafting, quilting, or creating sentimental memories with her family, she left pieces of herself in everything she made.
She was especially known for her quilts, which are sprinkled throughout her family and community. Each one stitched with care and made with the same warmth and love that she always gave throughout her life.
She also had her own unforgettable quirks and sayings. She famously said if it had two legs or swims, she wouldn’t eat it. Those small pieces of who she was are the very things her family will smile through tears remembering.
Time spent with her meant comfort, laughter, stories, and lifelong memories, and everyone who knew her left feeling a little lighter and a little more loved.
Theanna is survived by her husband, Dick Simpson; daughters, Carmen West and Vonda Earnhart; grandchildren, Madilyn Smith and Bails West; and sister, Thelma Ames, along with extended family members and friends who were blessed to know and love her.