Laura Jane (Kollenberg) Simpson

Laura Jane Teresa Kollenberg Simpson, affectionately known to friends and family as "Laurie," "Laura Jane," "MawMaw," or "Grandma," passed away peacefully on August 26, 2026, at Baptist Health Louisville - Palliative Care Unit with Hosparus, surrounded by the family she loved so deeply. We are filled with immense gratitude for the dedicated staff and providers at both the Palliative Care Unit and the Palliative/Hosparus Team who provided exceptional care to Laura during this challenging time.

Born the second of four children, Laura grew up in the Cincinnati area where she attended MT Notre Dame before moving to Louisville during high school due to her father’s job transfer. She attended and graduated from Sacred Heart Academy, building a beautiful life in Louisville that would span decades. 

Laura dedicated 31 wonderful years of her life to shaping young minds as a kindergarten teacher assistant. She truly loved teaching, loved what she did, and was exceptionally good at it. Laura had a natural knack for reaching young children, getting through to them, and helping them understand complex concepts with ease. She was deeply looked up to, relied upon, and highly respected—so much so that teachers would often remark she could run the classroom better than they could. She taught so many so much, far extending beyond the children in her classroom. Laura was always touching the lives of others, constantly striving to leave people's lives better than they were when she first met them. She retired almost two years ago from the career that brought her the absolute most joy. 

Family was the true center of Laura’s world. She shared 47 wonderful years of marriage with her husband, Rick Simpson. Together, they raised five children and celebrated the joy of nine grandchildren. Laura had a rare gift for connection; she held a unique, individual bond with each of her family members, ensuring every single one of them knew exactly how much they meant to her. 

Laura's life was rich with creativity, tradition, and passions she lovingly shared with others. In her earlier years, she loved working alongside her mother on ceramics—painstakingly handling every step from firing the kiln and cleaning the pieces to painting and hand-delivering them to loved ones. 

She was also an incredibly skilled quilter, a craft she also learned from her mother. To Laura, true quilting was done exclusively by hand from start to finish; using a sewing machine was strictly forbidden! She passionately passed this knowledge down to her daughters and her daughter-in-law. Her legacy and memory will live on in the quilts that they make and the one quilt that she started with Amanda when she was a senior in high school—a work in progress that remains "pending completion." 

When she wasn't crafting or teaching, Laura could be found tending to her beautiful flower and vegetable gardens, or soaking up every ounce of sunshine by her pool during the summer months before the rush of a new school year began.

Laura was preceded in death by her father, William "Bill" Kollenberg; her mother, Marianne Kollenberg; her mother-in-law, Sally Hensley; and several beloved aunts and uncles. 

She leaves behind a massive legacy of love, including her husband, Rick Simpson; her five children, Joshua “Josh” Simpson, Jason Simpson (Amanda), Aaron Simpson (Caitlin), Rebecca “Becky” Simpson, and Kristina Simpson (Casey Durrett); and her nine cherished grandchildren, Madison, Karly, Tanner, Kaleb, Lily, Xander, Levi, Natalie, and Jackson. She was also eagerly anticipating the arrival of her first great-grandchild, Beckham Allen Richard Baldwin. 

Laura is also survived by her siblings, Debbie Melton (Rick), Tim Kollenberg (Kelly), and Angie Revell (Tom); her sisters-in-law, Beverly Davis (late Ricky Davis), Caroline Shields (David), Babsie Roberts (Jay), Melody Whittaker; and many nieces, nephews, school colleagues, and dear friends. 

Perhaps the greatest lesson Laura ever gave was to love one another truly and completely. Though we must say goodbye for now with tears in our eyes, her kindness, her patience, and her unique love walk beside us still. Her story is not over; it lives on in every kind gesture, every beautifully crafted memory, and in the hearts of everyone who was lucky enough to call her a wife, mom, grandma, mawmaw, sister, aunt, and friend. Until we see each other again…We love you!

Service Information:

Following her wishes, Laura will be cremated. A memorial gathering and service will be held at Stoess Funeral Home(Crestwood, KY) on Tuesday, September 8, 2026. Visitation will take place from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM, with a memorial service immediately following at 7:00 PM. 

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