She was born on Oct. 25, 1933 in Howells, Neb., to Henry and Rose Cech Ebbers. Henrietta’s parents moved the family to Buhl, Idaho to find work during the dust bowl. She grew up on dairy and hay farms in the area and graduated from Buhl High School. Henrietta then attended business school in Twin Falls, Idaho where she met and married Jay Shropshire in 1952. They lived in Buhl where their first two sons, Mark and Robert were raised until moving to Tacoma in 1967 and completing their family with son, Tyler.
They moved to Kalispell, Mont., in 1970. In 1978 Jay had a heart attack and Henrietta then went to work at the Kalispell Library and then at the Conrad Bank. She retired from the bank in 1990 after Jay died and started a successful house cleaning business. Henrietta married James Simpson, a pastor in the First Christian Church, in 1992. They moved to San Diego and then to Hermiston in 1997 where they have lived since. She was very adventurous, traveling to Mexico, China, cruising to Hawaii, and driving to Alaska. Henrietta enjoyed gardening and was a great cook and outstanding with her knitting and sewing ability. She was always willing to roll up her sleeves and help lend a hand.
She is survived by her husband, James D. Simpson, Hermiston; sons, Mark Shropshire (Sharon), Kalispell, Mont., Robert Shropshire (Lee) and Tyler Shropshire (Connie), all of Bozeman, Mont., stepchildren, Paul Simpson (Donna), Weatherford, Texas, Elana Wexall (Jeff), Big Sky, Mont., Ernie Simpson, Bellevue, Wash., Jennifer Fukutaki (Rich), Bellevue, Wash.; sister, Margery Faure (Diz), Pocatello, Idaho; grandchildren, Lauren Shropshire, Bozeman, Mont., Rick Huntsman and Cindy Basnett, Kalispell, Mont., Shane and Timothy Simpson, Weatherford, Texas, and Kai and Samantha Fukutaki, Bellevue, Wash.
Henrietta was preceded in death by her parents; and a sister, Mrs. Jim Gabriella Chatterton.
A funeral service will be held on Saturday, March 14, 2015 at 1 p.m. at the First Christian Church, 775 W. Highland Ave., Hermiston.
Burial will be held on Monday, March 16, 2015 at 1:30 p.m. at Conrad Memorial Cemetery, Kalispell, Mont.
Please sign the guest book at burnsmortuaryhermiston.com.
Burns Mortuary of Hermiston is in care of arrangements.
