Ailsa Dorothy SimpsonJune 2, 1924December 8, 2016With her loving family surrounding her, Portola CA resident Ailsa Dorothy Simpson peacefully passed away on Thursday, December 8th 2016 at the age of 92 in Loyalton CA.Ailsa was born on June 2nd, 1924 in Vaucluse, NSW, in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, Australia to William Donald and Dorothy Dunn. In 1926, her brother Arran John was born. For the first 12 years of her life, Arran was her inseparable companion. In 1930, her parents lost their beautiful home, during the Great Depression, and the family moved to a flat in Bondi NSW, where in 1936 her youngest brother, Bruce was born. In 1940, the family moved to Coogee, NSW where they stayed for good.Ailsa graduated from high school in 1942, and attended business college for 2 years. Her mother did not agree with her career choice (women simply did not go into business), and so convinced Ailsa to work as a seamstress. During the early 1950s, some things happened that changed her life. First, she was not happy with being a seamstress. Ailsa had a very independent spirit and wanted more. The second was that she met an American Navy serviceman on leave in Sydney, Vernon Harold Simpson whom she fell in love. These made up her mind to leave Australia and emigrate to America. Here she found work as a secretary, and office manager. She and Vernon married in 1955 in Los Angeles. They later moved to Reno, NV in 1956, and was here that their three children, Vernon (Bill), 1957, Ronald, 1959, and Michael, 1961 were born.Ailsa and Vernon divorced in 1962. Ailsa never remarried. In 1965, Ailsa and her three boys moved back to Australia to Coogee. In the early 1970s, they moved back to Reno, NV. Here Ailsa stayed for 35 years. Then in 1991, she moved to Portola CA where she lived for 25 years. In both Reno and Portola, she made many lifelong friends.Besides her business career, Ailsa also loved volunteering. In her later years, she was involved with the Salvation Army, and Nifty Thrifty, a local Portola group that supports the Eastern Plumas hospital.Ailsa was predeceased by her parents, and her brother Arran. She is survived by her brother Bruce Dunn of Bondi, NSW Australia, her sons, Bill Simpson and his wife Diana of Portola, Ronald Simpson and his wife Shannon of Portola, and Michael Simpson of Reno. She is also survived by three grandsons, Ryan Simpson and his wife Theresa, and Derek and Joey Simpson, along with five granddaughters, Angela Johnson and her partner Brenda, Renee Kinkade and her husband Jeremy, Amanda Simpson, Amanda Barnett, and Rebecca Ford. She also had eight great-grandchildren, Erin and Dylan Simpson, Aiden and Lacey Melendez, Jasmine and Trenton Ford, Sierra Chalmers and Timothy Henderson.It was important to Ailsa and her family to recognize the Eastern Plumas District Hospital Skilled Nursing staff at both the Portola, and Loyalton facilities for their loving care of her during her stay there.A memorial service is being held in celebrate her life on December 17th at 1 PM at the Sierra Christian Church on highway 70 in Beckwourth CA.In lieu of flowers, Ailsa would have wanted to have donations instead be sent to The Salvation Army and/or Eastern Plumas District hospital. Arrangements entrusted to Manni Funeral Home of Portola.